Continue reading »]]> Rahn Walter Simonson, 46, of Cokato, Minnesota passed away on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at his home in Cokato, Minnesota.
Rahn was born in Snohomish, Washington, on April 27, 1980, to the late Mark Simonson and Ilona (Kilpela/Simonson) Wuollet.
He grew up in western Washington in a busy house with seven brothers and four sisters. He enjoyed fishing trips with Dad and his brothers and spending time with friends. In his twenties, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he spent many years in the sun before heading north to Deer Park, Washington. After a short time there, he made his way to Minnesota and resided in and around the Cokato area.
Although life was not always easy, Rahn had the most generous nature. It was often said that he would give the shirt off his back or his last dollar for a friend in need. He loved babies and children, and was blessed with three of his own. He was so proud of his children and treasured every moment spent with them. Rahn worked in many trades throughout his life but found the most fulfillment in the manual labor of installing hardwood floors. He looked forward to winter and playing hockey again on Saturday nights.
He will be greatly missed by his children: Dakota, Ashlyn and Landen, his mother, Ilona and step father Dan Wuollet, siblings: Kirk (Tracie), Adam, Brett (Kolet), Nicole (Phil) Ojalehto, Ben (Erin), Lane (Rachel), Joshua (Lorena), Bethany (Brian) Randall, Caleb (Nicole), Tiffany (Luke) Jurmu and Ariana (John) Randall, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and many cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, and father, Mark.
Funeral Services for Rahn will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, October 1, 2026 at the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Cokato, Minnesota. There will be a visitation starting 1 hour prior to the service.

Continue reading »]]> Donald Eugene Hokanson, age 85 of Litchfield, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at St. Cloud Hospital on September 21 st , 2026, surrounded byhis wife, children, and extended family members. Don was born on August 4, 1941, in Hinckley, MN, to Elsie and Hjalmer Hokanson. He was the 2 nd youngest of 8 children and grew up in Hinckley, where he graduated in 1959.
After high school, Don moved to Cokato and worked at Standard Lumber at the behest of his oldest brother. It was in Cokato that he met Mary Lindstrom, and the two were married on February 11, 1961. Don and Mary made their home in Cokato for many years, where they raised their three children, Karen, Laurie and Chris. They resided for many years in Stockholm Township, where Don also had the joy of owning and running the Stockholm Store.
In 1984 the family moved to Litchfield, where Don continued his farm equipment career—moving from sales to managing his own dealership. Over the years, he sold both “green and red,” developing a deep
connection to the farming community, and forming many lifelong friendships. In 1991, Don started Hokanson Appraisals, beginning another new chapter in his career. Through his own business, he formed
countless new relationships and proudly served his local communities—always staying true to his rural agricultural roots.
Don took great pride in his work and dedicated himself to building a better life for his family. He was always a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather—truly, his family was his world. The
simplest moments were often his favorites; he especially enjoyed playing cards, watching baseball, deer hunting, gardening, and reading. Don was also a craftsman who loved creating things with his hands. Over the years, he built wooden foot stools, Barbie houses, toy boxes, blanket racks, and many other special projects. These were more than things he made – they became lasting reminders of the time, care and love he put into everything he did.
Don will be deeply missed by his wife of 65 years, Mary, his children, Karen (Ted) Anderson, Laurie (Gary) Pierce, and Chris (Tammy) Hokanson; his grandchildren, Jenny (Eric) Johnson, Tim Pierce, Jeff Lagergren, Mike (Nicole) Pierce, Amy Pierce, Christian and Heath Hokanson; and his great grand-children, TJ and Matthew Gregor, Alena, Benjamin, Joselyn, and Theodore Pierce, and cherished friends Brent
and Rebecca Wessman. He is also survived by siblings, Alice Currie & Clyde Hokanson, along with a multitude of nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends who will remember him fondly. He was preceded in death by his parents and his five siblings.
Don’s love for his family, his work ethic, his generosity, and the memories he created with those around him will live on through generations.
A funeral service for Don will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday September 28, 2026 at the First Lutheran Church in Litchfield, Minnesota, with a visitation beginning 1 hour prior to the service.

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Mae Esther Forsman, age 99, of Cokato, MN, passed away peacefully on September 7, 2026, at Buffalo Hospital, surrounded by family. For the past four years, Mae made her home at Brookridge Assisted Living, where she received wonderful and compassionate care.
Mae was born on May 5, 1927, in French Lake Township to John and Dora Engstrom. She had one brother, LeRoy Engstrom, and grew up on a farm north of Cokato, where she learned the value of hard work, simple joys, and caring for others. The lessons of farm life stayed with her throughout her 99 years and shaped the steady, generous way she welcomed each season of life. Mae attended Lee School through 6th grade and later graduated from Annandale High School. Over the years, she worked for many employers, including the Dayton’s Department Store in downtown Minneapolis, Happy Corner Store, Cokato Canning, Cokato Train Depot, Tonka Toys, Fabri-Tek, Jack and Jill grocery store, where she made bread, cooking at Dassel-Cokato High School and Corbin’s Woolie’s.

On February 2, 1948, Mae married Norman Forsman in the heart of a cold winter and grew into 54 years of shared life, faith, family, and devotion before Norman passed away on August 31, 2002. Together they were blessed with seven children, including their son Eric, who was stillborn. As their family grew, Mae poured herself into creating a home where there was always room for one more person at the table and always something warm to share. After retirement, Mae and Norman lived for periods of time in Ocean Park, Washington; St. Cloud; Howard Lake; and Dassel before returning to Cokato, where Mae spent her remaining years.

Mae’s relationship with Jesus and her church family became especially important in the late 1970s, when she began a personal walk with Christ.
Her faith continued to grow through Village School of the Bible and her involvement at First Baptist Church. Mae served the church joyfully through her gift of hospitality, often showing love in practical ways through meals, visits, and a listening ear. She was also a faithful member of the Cokato Legion Auxiliary, where she continued her pattern of serving others quietly and faithfully.

Mae will be remembered for her gentle spirit, kindness, and gift of hospitality. She loved cooking for people in need, and her meals brought great joy to family, friends, and especially her grandchildren. Many will remember the comfort of her kitchen, the smell of fresh caramel rolls, and the feeling of being cared for the moment they walked through her door. Family was deeply important to Mae, and she created a welcoming presence that made others feel loved, included, and at home. She also loved preserving family memories through scrapbooking. Mae and Norman also began a family chicken business and selling eggs, a family legacy that continues through “Mae’s Eggs.”

Mae is survived by five children; Gaylord (Melissa) Forsman, Charlene (Don) Bakeberg, Gary (Debbie) Forsman, Deanna (Ken) Abramson, Mark (Shari) Forsman, 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, six great-great-grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and many friends whose lives were blessed by her presence.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman; her parents, John and Dora Engstrom; her brother, LeRoy Engstrom; and her sons, Eric and Tim.

Mae was easy to love, brought joy to those around her, and had a special way of making people feel welcomed. Her life was filled with small acts that become lasting memories: a meal prepared with care, a kind word at the right time, a steady faith, and a home where family always knew they belonged. Her long and beautiful life was a gift to all who knew and loved her.

A memorial service for Mae will be held at the First Baptist Church in Cokato Minnesota on Friday September 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM with a visitation beginning at 10:00 AM.

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Garland Rodger Buttenhoff passed away September 5,2026 at the age of 92 years and 24 days at Dassel Lakeside Generations after a long and courageous battle with heart and lung issues.
Garland was born August 11,1934 to Fred and Alvina (Reek) Buttenhoff. He grew up on a farm in Middleville Township, north of Howard Lake, Minnesota. He was one of 11 children. He was baptized and confirmed in his Christian faith at St. James Lutheran Church in Howard Lake, Minnesota
On October 18,1958 he was united in marriage to Ruth Fredricks at Stockholm Lutheran Church in rural Cokato, Minnesota. They raised their family on a dairy farm in Stockholm Township in rural Cokato, Minnesota.
Garland was a member of the Mens Group at Stockholm Lutheran Church as well as serving on the Stockholm Antique Tractor Show committee.

Garland enjoyed deer hunting, his last hunting season was 2016 at the age of 82. Garland also had a talent for making sausage and dried meat at his smoke house on the farm.

Garland enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of 67 years, 8 month and 18 days Ruth. Children: Gwen Anderson of Cokato, Dana (Dona) of Maple Lake and Jeff (Deb Carlson) of Cokato.

Grandchildren: Gretchen (Jeremy) Pearson of Cokato, Gordy (Danielle) Anderson of Cokato, Garrick Anderson of Cokato.

Great Grandchildren: Stella Pearson and Garland Anderson, both of Cokato.

Garland is proceeded in death by his parents Fred and Alvina Buttenhoff. Brothers and sisters Edna Beauregard, Leonard Buttenhoff, Lorraine Feit, Lila Chapman, Raymond Buttenhoff, Otto Buttenhoff, Ardis Buttenhoff, Gladys Peterson, Lucille Kremer and Melvin Buttenhoff.

Great Grandchildren: Victoria Pearson and Alden Anderson.

Services for Garland will be held on Friday September 11, 2026 at 11:00 AM with a visitation beginning at 9:00 AM, at the Stockholm Lutheran Church in Cokato, Minnesota.

The family would like to thank the staffs of Buffalo Allina Hospital, Dassel Lakeside Generations and Ecumen Hospice for their care during the last 12 days of Garland’s time on earth.

Continue reading »]]> Patricia (Patti) Ann Davison passed away peacefully on September 3, 2026 at the age of 65 in Buffalo, MN. She was born on September 5, 1960 in Cokato, Minnesota to Helmer and Verna Simonson, the youngest girl in the Simonson family of 12 children.
She fondly recalled these childhood days, living on the edge of town. Summer days were spent splashing in Sucker Creek, being mindful of the dropoff, with a salt shaker ready to get the leeches off the legs and feet. Many hours were spent biking around town with friends, often with money in their pockets for penny candy and comics at the local drugstore. They had to be home when the church bell rang at 6:00pm. This time of life also came with difficulty for a young Patti; her mother Verna passed away when Patti was just 12 years old.

After finishing her high school courses early in January of 1979, Patti moved with friends to Arizona, then to Seattle. Patti married Tim Davison in October of 1979. God blessed them with seven children; six sons and one daughter.

In 1992, daughter Sasha experienced a drowning accident and spent the remainder of her life needing care. Patti cared for her in their home for a period of time, one of which was customized to meet Sasha’s needs. On the wall of Sasha’s room, Patti, a gifted artist, painted the words, “For my dear child, I wish two things. To give you roots, to give you wings.” This phrase embodied Patti’s mothering style, finding it important to teach her children many things, including being grounded yet independent.

In 1999, Patti moved from Washington to Minnesota with her five youngest boys, in search of new temporal roots. She decorated cakes at the Wuollet bakery, and did bookkeeping for a landscaping company. With the encouragement of her sister Sandy, Patti started nursing school in 2003. She continued to support her boys and herself, while studying nursing in the evenings and weekends. She graduated with honors in 2006.

She worked as a Registered Nurse in Minnesota, Arizona, and Washington. Throughout her career, she served the inmates in the county jail, the elderly in care facilities and homes, and veterans at the VA.

Patti was known as Nana to her 56 grandchildren, and 5 great grandchildren. She loved gift giving, ensuring each grandchild received a candy bag at Christmas time, and each new grandbaby received a Christmas ornament the year they were born.

She had a passion for learning, and loved to delve deep into topics that interested her. Life’s many trials versed her in grief, and she quietly became a trusted resource for others to turn to in their times of need.

Although she endured many hardships and trials in her life, she always kept her sense of humor, even until her final days. She kept her family, friends, and grandchildren laughing.

Throughout her life, Patti found comfort in visits with family and friends, and most importantly, the simple, childlike faith and gospel she had been taught as a child.

She is survived by her children: Tyler (Janelle), Dustin (Andrea), Conor (Heather), Chet (Laura), Cole (Marleena), and Mick (Madeline), 56 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren. By siblings: Ron, Harley, Dale, Sandra, Karen, Maureen, Gary, Kent, Chris, as well as many nieces and nephews, cousins, godchildren, and friends. She is preceded in death by daughter Sasha, parents Helmer and Verna Simonson, step-mother Esther Simonson, siblings Mark, Wade, and Kevin.

A visitation will take place at the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Monticello, Minnesota, 1860 County Rd 39 NE, Monticello MN 55362 on Sunday, September 6, 2026 from 4:30 PM until 7:30 PM. There will be a prayer service starting at 6:30 PM.

Funeral Services will be held on Monday, September 7, 2026 at 10:30 AM with a visitation starting at 9:00 AM, at the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Monticello, Minnesota. Interment to follow at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery.

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Continue reading »]]> Daryl Jeffrey Buttenhoff, 62, of Howard Lake, MN passed away peacefully at home on the farm, August 24th, 2026 surrounded by his loving family. Daryl was born on July 12th, 1964, in Litchfield, Minnesota, to Melvin and Beatrice Buttenhoff of Howard Lake. He was baptized August 2nd, 1964 and confirmed on May 7th, 1978 at St. James Lutheran Church where he was also united in marriage with Dorothy Tutewohl on July 18th,1992. Their marriage was blessed with 2 children, David and Danielle.
Daryl spent the majority of his life farming, ice fishing and deer hunting. He worked at ABC in Montrose for 20+ years as a supervisor building trusses. Due to the side effects of his Leukemia, Daryls’ work on the farm looked different for the last 14 years but he still took care of the sheep as he was able. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge and love for agriculture with his son David. Daryl was fortunate to spend his last harvest season driving combine, his favorite farm duty. Some of his favorite memories were seeing his children get married, watching his 4 grandchildren grow and being their Papa.
Daryl’s memory will be carried on by his devoted wife Dorothy, his children David (Chelsea) Buttenhoff and Danielle (Jared) Horton. Grandchildren; Blake and Lydia Buttenhoff, Sophia and Chase Horton. His sister Dwan (Larry) Tjeerdsma, Mother and Father in law Jack and Donna Tutewohl; Brothers and sisters in law; John Tutewohl, Pat (Janie) Tutewohl, Janet (Mark) Schneider, Jared (Judy) Tutewohl, Linda Tutewohl, Susan (Ken) Smith, Marie Tutewohl,Ray Tutewohl, Steve (Stacy) Tutewohl, Matt (Cora) Tutewohl, and Sara (Craig) Lyons. Many Nieces and Nephews and Great Nieces and Nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Beatrice Buttenhoff, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Niece and Cousins.

Services for Daryl will be held on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 11:00 AM with a visitation starting at 9:30 AM, at the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota.

Continue reading »]]> David “Dave” Decker was known by many names — Dave, Dad, Brother, Uncle, Son, Pappy Gnome — but no matter what you called him, everyone felt the same way about this man. He was a good soul with a big heart and a simple, steady way of moving through the world. Dave was called home to Jesus on August 19, 2026; he left this life as he lived it, on his own terms.
Born on May 12, 1955, to Wilfred and Beverly Decker, Dave grew up working on the family farm in Waverly, where he spent his days doing what he loved most: living simply, working hard, and enjoying the land around him. He was a man of few words, but his heart was bigger than Waverly itself.
Dave attended school in Howard Lake until eighth grade — the point at which, according to him, he had learned everything he needed to know. From there, he returned to farm life, teased and tormented his brothers and sisters (or maybe they tormented him), and made lifelong memories with friends.
Over the years, Dave worked many jobs in construction, framing, and roofing. He married his longtime crush, Mary Beth from the Waverly Café, and together they raised six wonderful children during their 17 years of marriage. Later, Dave met Jackie and her two sons, Brady and Dylan, and they built a life together until his passing.
Dave enjoyed gardening, spending time with family and friends, and especially loved his time fishing out on Lake Ida and local lakes. He wasn’t a man who lived by a schedule — he was more of a “grab the moment” kind of fellow, always ready to enjoy whatever the day brought. Whether he was tinkering or just relaxing, Dave loved spending time in his garage — his ultimate man cave — where he took great joy in caring for his cats and raising their multiple litters each year.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Timmy and Rick; sister Jeannie; sister-in-law Susie; nephew Tommy Fiecke; stepson Brady Schmidt; and father‑in‑law Leo Stulen.
He is survived by his wife Jackie; children Billy (LuAnn), Matt (Joy), Timmy (Nicci), Mary (Jeff) Miller, Sandy (Josh) Forcier, and Davey (Amanda); stepson Dylan Schmidt; twenty grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Siblings include Steve, Warren, Wil (Myra), Randy (Mel Vinge), Donny (Linda Geisen), Donna (Brent) Gilmer, Julie (Jeff) Hille, and Keith (Kristy), along with many other relatives and friends.
Dave will be dearly missed by his family and by everyone whose life he touched. His memory lives on through his brothers and sisters, his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, and great‑grandchildren, along with all the people who were lucky enough to know him.
Rest in peace, Dave Decker.
Services will be held on Saturday, August 29 at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home in Howard Lake, Minnesota. Visitation at 2:00 p.m. Prayer service at 3:00 p.m. Celebration of life at 4:00 p.m. at the Donny Decker residence, 5638 Gowan Ave SW, Waverly.

Continue reading »]]> Eugene “Gene” Isaacson passed away at his home surrounded by family on Aug 6, 2026. Gene was born on Dec 14, 1938 to Frank and Hulda Isaacson, in Franklin MN. He was the 16th of 17 children.
They moved to Cokato when Gene was 12. He was very used to living on a farm and seldom going to town. When moving to Cokato, they lived a short distance from town and Gene did get lost in the “city”.
He would reminisce how he and a couple of brothers would drive the tractor to Brooks Lake to swim, quite a treat as was the movie theater in town. 10 cents given to him for a movie.
On August 23 1978 he married Jonay Anderson. Together they had 8 children which made for a very active, interesting, adventurous, parent learning household.
Gene was a carpenter and started his own business shortly after they married to be able to stay in the area. Gene and Jonay liked to fish and camp and did so as often as they could, generally in northern MN. When retirement came, they became snowbirds. First to FL for a few years and then to TX for several more. While in TX they became campground hosts. A job well liked with being able to bring new people at the park to local events, places of interest and of course into Mexico. They settled back in Cokato year round a few years ago.
Gene is survived by his wife Jonay, sons Tracy, Jason (Dawnetta), and Chad (Debbie). Daughters Gwen (Joe)Isaacson, Taylor Piehl, Kendra (Steve)Seth, and Bethany(Troy) Bremer. Grandchildren Steven, Sean (Bobbie), Trevor, Justin (Mariah), Joshua, Miranda (Tim) Airhart, Ian, Ivan, Kristina (Keith)Johnson, Tiffany (Charlie) Hannus, Hugh & Lilyan Landman, Bo & Hank Bremer, Shelby (Lyle) Seth, Allie (Alex) Voineag. 10 Great Grand Children, Kasie, McKenzie, Brinley, Urijah, Willa, Jameson, Bennett, Oliver, Skyler, and Owen. 1 GreatGreat Grand Child, Mavis. Sister Dorothy Hammond and brother Kenny (Darlene), sister-in-law Beverly, Daughter-in-law Karen (Loren) Broberg.
Gene was preceded in death by parents Frank and Hulda, son Derek, daughter-in-law Kathy, 6 sisters and 8 brothers, Willard, Viola, Evelyn, Gordon, Mildred, Vermont, Donald, Marian, Floyd, Joyce, Maynard, Duane, Delores, DeLloyd.
A Celebration of life will be held at 1:00 PM with visitation 1 hour prior on Aug 14 at the Fireside Fellowship (formerly the Assembly of God) Church, 190 Johnson Ave SW, Cokato MN. Please feel free to come in casual, comfortable everyday attire….That is what Gene always preferred.

Continue reading »]]> Jed James Kinnunen, son of Donovan and Alyssa Kinnunen of Cokato, MN was born Wednesday February 25, 2026 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis; and peacefully passed away Friday, July 31, 2026 with his parents at his side.
He was dearly loved by his siblings, parents and grandparents during his short 5 months here on this earth. He faced many health trials that his earthly body was unable to overcome.
Jed is predeceased by his older sister Ellie and his grandfather, Vance Ylioja. Jed is survived by his parents Donovan and Alyssa Kinnunen of Cokato, MN; his siblings, Emma, Kayden, Callie and Jenna; his grandparents, Tommi and Lisa Kinnunen of Cokato, MN, and Janine Ylioja of Outlook, Saskatchewan; his aunt, Brigette Ylioja of Outlook, Saskatchewan; his uncles, Jaret Ylioja of Outlook, Saskatchewan and Connor Kinnunen of Cokato, MN. A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4 at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery.

Continue reading »]]> Harvey Louis Krohn Sr, age 87, passed away peacefully with family by his side on the morning of August 4th, 2026. The world got “so much cuter” on December 3rd, 1938, when Christmas came early to Ernest and Erma Krohn, with the birth of Harvey. Harvey was born in Middleville Township, and moved to the farm a few years later. He attended the country school, and then later transferred to St. James.
When asked when the last time was that he fell, he would say “62 years ago when I fell in love with my wife Carol”. Harvey met his lifelong wife, Carol, through mutual friends, sealing the deal after their first date at Sherman’s Station. The two of them were blessed with four amazing children, all of which gave him grey hair at an early age. (The grey only made him even cuter).
Harvey was the strongest man anyone who met him knew, building his strength from farming and raising cattle, setting monuments, working at the cheese plant, and throwing 100lbs feed bags like they were nothing. While working at American Feed and Livestock, Harvey continued to build his work ethic, climbing himself up to a management position for numerous years. Harvey’s children especially got to experience his strength when they got into trouble, as well as finding out that he was a lot faster than they thought.
Harvey also had a bit of a wild side. With a 1957 DeSoto, he was caught speeding down County Road 6 and got speeding tickets after only having the car for three days. He was going so fast that the judge even came out to see what was under the hood. He decided to step it down a notch, and got into stock car racing, ranking third. Harvey would take the boys’ Harley’s for a ride, but would return them empty so they would run out of gas on the way home.
Harvey enjoyed spending his free time in numerous different ways. He was a wiz at rebuilding old Ford tractors from scratch until they were new again. He loved helping haul machinery and going to auctions with Decker, and spending his days at tractor pulls, even until the early hours of the morning. He also enjoyed volunteering with the Howard Lake Lions Club, making the best biscuits and gravy at their breakfasts, and selling tickets at the meat raffles. During the summer, you could find Harvey in his garden, which he took huge pride in, and selling his produce at the farmer’s market becoming known as the “Sweet Onion Man”. During the rest of the year, you would find him woodworking, fishing, and hunting, even getting his last deer just last year at 86 years old.
Harvey had the best sense of humor, always telling jokes, making smart alec comments, and making sure everyone knew he just couldn’t wait until tomorrow, because he “just keeps getting cuter every day”.
Harvey is survived by his wife Carol, their children Harvey Jr (Mary) Krohn, Teresa (Dan) Oestreich, Darrin (Sandy) Krohn, Trina Krohn, 8 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, their cat, Nova, and many other family and friends.
Harvey was preceded in death by his parents Ernest and Erma Krohn, in-laws Harold and Loretta Rasmussen, his first wife Evelyn, and their baby girl.
A memorial mass will take place on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 2:00 PM, with visitation beginning at 12:30 PM, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Waverly, Minnesota.