Continue reading »]]> Rodney Dean Pettit, age 85, of Monticello, (formally Cokato) Minnesota passed away on Monday October 26, 2026. A funeral service for Rodney will take place this Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Monticello, Minnesota. A visitation will be held starting one hour before the service. The burial will take place at 1:45 PM at the Cokato City Cemetery.

Continue reading »]]> Randi Lou Wolfe (Niccum), age 76, passed away peacefully on October 13, 2026, following a brief battle with cancer.
Randi will be lovingly remembered by her children, Shannon (Jason) Miller, Timothy (Renea) Ahlberg, Todd (Penny) Wolfe, and Tony (Paula) Wolfe; her siblings, Kerry (Carol) Niccum, Jody (Dave) Lewis, and Penny Stannard; her grandchildren, Jake (Cassidy), Hailey, Cristian, Matthew, Trinitee, Guilianna, Nikki, and Dean; four great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, family members, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Phillip and Betty Niccum; her twin brother, Rick; her nieces, Jamie and Libby; and her former husband, Walter “Bud” Wolfe.
Randi will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato (320) 286-2534 and Howard Lake (320) 543-3401. www.swansonpeterson.com

Continue reading »]]> Mary Ann Harkman, 93, formerly of Dassel and Cokato, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 8, 2026 at the St. Cloud Hospital.
Mary Ann was born on December 21, 1932, to Levi and Ina (Hasti) Rokala at their family farmhouse in Kingston, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed in the faith at the First Apostolic Lutheran Church in Cokato. She attended Kingston Elementary and graduated from Dassel High School in 1950.
On February 24, 1951, Mary Ann united in marriage to Harlan Harkman in Mason City, Iowa. Together they shared 56 beautiful years of marriage and raised seven children with love, faith, and hard work.

In 1973 Mary Ann attended Hutchinson Vo-Tech to become a medical secretary. She was employed at the Buffalo Clinic until they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona in 1978. 1988 brought another move for Mary Ann when her husband opened Harlan’s Appliance store in Flagstaff, Arizona. She worked full time out of the home while living in Arizona.

In 1993, Mary Ann and Harlan moved back to Minnesota to retire, living in Elk River, Monticello, Dassel and Cokato. Mary Ann especially enjoyed visiting with her friends and having coffee at the Grounds or Double Shot in Cokato.

Mary Ann had a gift for creating beauty with her hands. A talented master quilter, she lovingly taught her daughter and granddaughters the art of quilting so that her love of creating beautiful quilts could live on through them. When entering her quilts for competition at the Wright County Fair, she came home with many Grand Champion (purple) and 1st Place (blue) ribbons.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Harlan; her parents, Levi and Ina Rokala; brothers, John Rokala and Milton Rokala; sisters, Audrey Peterson and Ruth Janckila.

Mary Ann is survived by her children, Barbara (Ken) Timm, Diana (Bob) Maxwell, David (Brenda) Harkman, Bradley (Denise) Harkman, Karn (Jim) Canter, Kathryn Harkman, and Christopher Harkman; brother Carl (Bev) Rokala; and sister Margaret Mattila; 13 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends.

Those who loved her and were touched by her faith, kindness, and friendship will always have great memories of her and the willingness to share a part of her life. Our memories of her will forever remain in our hearts.

A funeral service for Mary Ann will be held on November 7, 2026 at the Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church in Cokato, Minnesota at 11:00 AM with a visitation starting 1 hour prior to the service.

Funeral arrangements for Mary Ann have been entrusted to Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato (320) 286-2534 and Howard Lake (320) 543-3401. www.swansonpeterson.com

Continue reading »]]> Gerald “Jerry” Roy Burau was born on September 9, 1942, in Delano, Minnesota, the son of Roy and Evelyn Burau. He was baptized on September 27, 1942, at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Delano.
Jerry graduated from Howard Lake High School in 1962 and proudly served his country in the United States Army from 1962 to 1964. On March 18, 1967, Jerry was united in marriage to Carol Schrupp. Together, they were blessed with two children.
Jerry was employed for 39 years at Millerbernd Manufacturing in Winsted, Minnesota. He was also well known throughout the area for the countless concrete projects he completed over the years. His hard work and craftsmanship left a lasting mark throughout the community.

Jerry had many interests, but fishing held a special place in his heart. He especially loved spending time fishing the “No Name Lakes.” Nothing brought Jerry more joy than sharing the fish he caught with others and telling the stories that went along with them. For Jerry, a good day of fishing was made even better when he could share the catch and the story of how he caught it, with family and friends.

When he wasn’t fishing, Jerry enjoyed deer hunting, gardening, and bowling. He was also a devoted member of the Howard Lake American Legion for more than 50 years and proudly served as a member of the Honor Guard. His service to his country and his fellow veterans remained an important part of his life.

Jerry passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on October 1, 2026, at Cokato Manor in Cokato, Minnesota.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Evelyn; two sisters; and his grandson, Brady.

Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Carol; daughter, Michelle (Jerry) Brady; son, Mark (Amy) Burau; grandchildren, Marisa Graham, Allison Brady, Brian (Kiaysa) Burau, Bethany Burau, and Bruce Burau; his great-grandchildren; and many other loving relatives and friends.

Jerry will be dearly missed by his family, friends, and all whose lives he touched. His memory will live on through his family, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, the stories they share, and the many people who were blessed to know him.

A memorial service will be held at St. James Lutheran Church in Howard Lake, Minnesota on Saturday, October 10, 2026, with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. and the service at 11:00 a.m.

The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude for the love, kindness, and support shown to them during this difficult time. No individual thank-you cards will be sent.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato (320) 286-2534 and Howard Lake (320) 543-3401. www.swansonpeterson.com

Continue reading »]]> Marvel Viola Huwe Ring died September 29, 2026 at her home in Burnsville, MN.
She was born August 25, 1929 in Day County South Dakota, the fourth of six children of Arthur and Viola (Selle) Huwe. When Marvel was 15 the family moved to Omaha, NE. Marvel was a graduate of Omaha Tech High School and Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD.
She worked at Immanuel Children’s Home and its Camp Immanuel and briefly did parish work in Madelia, MN. She later worked in Activities at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Albert Lea, MN and as Activities Director at Fieldcrest Care Center in Hayfield, MN.
She and Delbert Ring were married June 29th, 1956 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Omaha. After Del’s ordination they together served Lutheran parishes in Lignite and Esmond, ND, rural Albert Lea, MN, and rural Sargeant, MN.

Marvel loved poetry, puzzling, and reading. She was a proud member of the Loony Ladies book club and loved fishing (especially for crappies.) She was a prodigious knitter, and knit many sweaters for her kids and grandchildren. She loved gardening, birds, butterflies, and passed on her love of nature to her family in her gentle manner.
Preceding Marvel in death was her husband Del, infant daughter Kathleen, her parents, sister and brother-in-law, Evelyn and Wilton Davis, and brothers and sisters-in-law Myron and Bernice, Harold and Gail, Orlyn and Rita, Lowell, and daughter-in-law Annette.
Marvel is survived by daughter Miriam and sons David (Kim), Daniel (Tammy Hughes), Jonathan (Teresa), and grandchildren Alex (Benjamin Morgan), Joel, Kelsey, Annika Sandoz (Ben), and Amanda, sister-in-law Carol Huwe of Kansas and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Park Nicollet Hospice, Visiting Angels, and Wendy Flum for the care provided for Marvel.
Funeral services will be at St. James Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN at 11 AM on November 27, 2026. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. There will be an inurnment service on November 28, 2026 at 1:00pm at Lutheran Church of the Cross Memorial Garden in Nisswa, MN.
Memorials are preferred to Lutheran Church of the Cross in Nisswa, MN or St James Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN.

Arrangements for Marvel have been entrusted to Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato (320) 286-2534 and Howard Lake (320) 543-3401.

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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