Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Clifford Franklin Johnson, of Kimball, Minnesota, passed away on October 30, 2026, at the age of 85.
Clifford was born on February 12, 1941, to John and Alice Johnson. He grew up alongside his three sisters, Marion, Grace, and Judy.
Clifford was a hardworking man who spent his career as a certified union welder. His skills and craftsmanship extended far beyond his work, as he enjoyed creating things out of metal, especially for his daughters. He took great pride in working with his hands and sharing his talents with those he loved.
In his free time, Clifford enjoyed attending auctions, fishing, and spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Family meant so much to him, and he treasured the moments spent together, making memories that will be cherished for years to come.

Clifford was known for his willingness to lend a helping hand and offer advice, whether it was wanted or not. He had a way of sharing his thoughts and wisdom with those around him, always meaning well. No matter the time or circumstance, Clifford was someone his family and friends could count on. He was always there when someone needed him.

Clifford is survived by his loving wife, Mary Johnson; his daughters, Ivonne (Dale) Peterson, Belinda (Dean) Hendrickson, and Tammy (Dean) Johnson; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Clifford was preceded in death by his father, John Johnson, his mother, Alice Johnson; and his sisters, Marion, Grace and Judy.

He will be deeply missed by his family and all who were fortunate enough to know him.

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

Rodney Dean Pettit, age 85, passed away on October 26, 2026, at the Annandale Care Center in Annandale, Minnesota.
Rodney was born on November 24, 1940, to Bedford “Spike” and Gladys (Rudquist) Pettit. He grew up in the Cokato area and graduated from Cokato High School in 1959. On January 11, 2003, Rodney was united in marriage to Jeanne Lange (Olson).

Rodney had a lifelong love for dairy farming and also enjoyed fishing and spending time with his family and beloved dogs. After retiring from farming, he worked for Northwest Airlines and St. Mary’s Care Facility.

Rodney was a friendly and kindhearted man who truly enjoyed visiting with others. He had a great sense of humor and loved telling jokes, often bringing smiles and laughter to those around him. He enjoyed a good conversation, socializing with friends and family, and, in his later years, the challenge of putting puzzles together. He will be fondly remembered for his warm smile, gentle nature, and the kindness he showed to those around him.

Rodney is survived by his loving wife, Jeanne; her four children, Lisa (Alan) Hensel, John (Julie) Lange, Todd (Mary) Lange, and Amy (Bryan) Neisen; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; his sister, Beverly (Jim) Polt; his brother, David Pettit, and his significant other, Vicky Morrill; his niece, Stephanie (Ben) Foxen; his nephew, Derrick (Sara) Polt; and seven great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law; and his brother-in-law, Dean Olson, and Dean’s wife, Impie.

Rodney’s kind heart, welcoming smile, and love for conversation will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

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.

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

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

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

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