Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

“Karen Kay Tuman of Darwin passed away after a courageous battle with breast cancer on April 25th 2018.”
Memorial Service: 3 PM Monday April 30, 2018 at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato
Visitation: Begins at 1 PM on Monday.
Karen Kay Tuman of Darwin passed away after a courageous battle with breast cancer on April 25th 2018. She had reached the age of 66 years, 11 months and 29 days.

Karen was born in Litchfield, Minnesota on April 27, 1951, to John and Betty Lou (Stirn) DeSmith. She grew up in Litchfield was Baptized and Confirmed at St. Phillips Church, and graduated from Litchfield High School in 1969.

After High School Karen worked for a short time at 3-M and Airtex, but soon realized she wanted a job that would involve helping people. She worked in day care for a time then went to work as a nurses aid at nursing homes; Dassel, Cokato and has spent the last 25 years working at the Rolling Acres, Mt. Olivet Nursing Home in Victoria. Karen has lived in Dassel, Cokato, and now Darwin.

Karen enjoyed garage sales and auctions, she liked to find a good deal, she also enjoyed photography, soduko, and watching the traffic go by at her home in Darwin.

Survivors include: her sons, Craig and Chuck both of Litchfield. 3 grandchildren: Kyla Blackwell, Regan Tuman and Samantha Tuman. Brothers and sister: Pat Rueckert of Waconia, Randy (Tami) DeSmith of Manassas, VA., Rick (Robin) DeSmith of Litchfield, Gary (Kay) DeSmith of Cokato, and Scott (Deb) DeSmith of Litchfield. And significant other: Jim Braadland of Darwin.

Karen is preceded in death by her parents John and Betty Lou DeSmith and brother-in-law Bob Rueckert.

Joyce Marie (Aykens) Falk 85, passed away April 23rd, 2018 at the Cokato Manor in Cokato, Mn. She was born on March 24, 1933 to Iola (Turner) and Wilford Aykens in Brainerd, MN. Brainerd was where she met the love of her life, Robert T Falk. They were united in marriage on June 24, 1953. They had three children, Robert (Marilyn) Falk, Richard (Jennifer) Falk & Jill (Jake) Lutgens. Joyce worked at the Lake of the Woods School in Baudette, MN for 19 1/2 years as a special education para & elementary librarian. She was active in the American Legion Auxiliary, Eastern Star, Women of the Moose, and her church.
Joyce was preceded in death by her husband & her parents. She is survived by her brother Richard Aykens, her children, and her grandchildren, Angela, Steven, & Richard Falk, Carla Nielson, and Leah & Troy Lutgens.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 PM on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at the Helgeson Funeral Chapel (112 1st St SW, Baudette, MN 56623) with visitation 1 hour prior to the service and a reception to follow at the Brink Center. Burial will take place at a later date at the Elm Park Cemetery in Baudette, MN. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato, Minnesota (320)286-2534, www.swansonpeterson.com

Memorial Service: 11 AM Friday 4/27/2018, at Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church of Cokato.
Visitation: 4-8 PM Thursday afternoon at church.
Interment: Cokato Finnish Cemetery
Joyce Ann (Kotila) Jarl passed away on April 24th, 2018 in Cokato MN.
Joyce was born on February 9th, 1933 at the Kotila home place in Cokato. This is where Joyce grew up and spent much of her life. She attended Temperance Corner Country School until she went to Cokato High school where she graduated in 1950. The following year Joyce married the love of her life, Thomas Jarl, on May 5th 1951. Joyce and Tom spent the first four years of their marriage living on the Kotila farm place until they moved to a home in Dassel. They lived there until 1966. They then moved back north of Cokato by Temperance Corner and lived there for many years. Joyce and Tom raised 11 children during this time. Joyce was a loving wife and mother and raising her children was her purpose for many years. Joyce had a love for cooking and baking and she worked at the Dassel-Cokato schools in the kitchens for many years. Later, her and Tom lived and worked at Camp Chi Rho where Joyce continued to cook and bake and share her joyful smile with all who visited the camp. Joyce also loved to garden and spent much of her time out side tending to her flowers. Joyce loved visiting with friends and family and always had a friendly smile and a pot of egg coffee on the stove for those who walked through her door, and usually a cookie or a treat, too. Joyce was devoted to her heavenly father and enjoyed going to church and bible studies. Joyce shared this love and devotion to her Father by showing kindness to those she met. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and all who knew her.
Joyce was anxious for spring so that she could spend time sitting outside. She got to do just this on Sunday and Monday. With loved ones by her side, Joyce was called to her heavenly home on Tuesday, April 24th, 2018. She is proceeded in death by her parents August & Selma Kotila, daughter Karen Hillstrom and grandchildren James Lantto, Daniel Jarl, Keith Larson and John Hillstrom. She is survived by her husband of nearly 67 years, Thomas Jarl, children Steven (Cheryl) Jarl, Vicki (Chris) Lantto, Janice Christenson, Kathy Jarl, Cindy (Mike) Worden, Shari (Phil) Rokala, Brenda (Cyrus) Welte, David (Susan) Jarl, Mary (Nathan) Ruonavaara, Joe (Kari) Jarl as well as 38 grandchildren and 34 great grandchildren.

Geraldine Ann Anderson was born March 6, 1930. She was the youngest child of August and Maude Anderson of Middleville Township.

Geri graduated from Howard Lake High School in 1948. After medical training she moved to Spokane, Washington in 1952. She worked in the medical field until 1970, when she became National Representative for Stonecroft Ministries. In 2001 she retired to provide healthcare for her friend, Jane Machen, until the time of Jane’s death in February, 2012. In the spring of 2013, she moved back to Minnesota to be close to family. Geri lived in Willmar and Buffalo before moving to The Lodge in Howard Lake, in November of 2015. Geri moved to Cokato Manor in March, 2018 and was cared for there until the time of her passing on April 12, 2018.

Geri is preceded in death by her sisters and brothers-in-law, Evelyn (Roland) Diers, Harriet (Welton) Zander, June (Kenneth) Wagner, Ione (Marvin) Swedberg, and brother, Roger Anderson.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Vergil (Geri) Anderson of Howard Lake, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A Service for Geraldine Ann Anderson will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at 2 PM, with visitation one hour prior to the service at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Howard Lake, MN. Interment at Highland Cemetery in Middleville Township, Wright County, Minnesota. Arrangements by Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services, www.swansonpeterson.com, 320-543-3401

Esther Elaine Simonson of Cokato, Passed away on March 24, 2018 at Cokato Manor.
Funeral Service: 11:00 AM Friday, March 30, 2018 at Cokato Laestadian Lutheran Church
Visitation: 5-8 PM Thursday, March 29, 2018 at Cokato Laestadian Lutheran Church, and 1 hr prior to funeral service on Friday
Prayer Service: 7PM Thursday at Church
Interment: Cokato Finnish Cemetery

Esther Elaine Simonson was born December 2, 1923 in Cokato, the daughter of Charles & Wilhelmina (Tuominen) Aho. She grew up with five siblings on the family farm northwest of Cokato, attending the local country school and Cokato Public High School. As a young girl, Esther always wanted to be a teacher. Following high school, she attended Litchfield & St. Cloud Teacher’s Training for two years. Among other schools, she taught at the one room school house at Temperance Corner north of Cokato.

At age 19 she was engaged to Eddie Koivisto, who was called overseas shortly after, to serve in WW II. He never returned. About ten years later, Esther was married to Alfred Hannus on June 13, 1953. They were blessed with two children and were expecting their third when Alfred died suddenly of a heart attack. Esther was left to raise their three young children as a widow.

On September 7, 1974, Esther married Edwin Helmer Simonson, gaining 12 stepchildren, the youngest 7 years old. Together they raised their children in Cokato, enjoying their lake place and traveling during retirement. Esther loved gardening, flowers, and treating their many grand and great grandchildren to fresh bread, canned peaches, pears, and applesauce.

With loved ones by her side, Esther was called to her heavenly home on Saturday, March 24, 2018 at Cokato Manor. She is preceded in death by her fiancé Eddie, husbands Alfred (1956) and Helmer (2004), parents, brothers Eino & Melvin Aho, sisters Ellen Tormanen & Lempi Koivisto, stepsons Mark & Kevin Simonson, step son-in-law Paul Kariniemi, and one granddaughter.

Survivors include her children Christine (William) Josephson, William (Lynn) Hannus, and Ruth (Gordon) Raisanen all of Cokato, her step children Ronald (Melba) Simonson of Buffalo, MN, Harley (Roberta) Simonson of Snohomish, WA, Dale (Diane) Simonson of Deer Park, WA, Sandra Kariniemi of Wayzata, MN, Karen (Vaughn) Lundeen of Monroe, WA, Maureen (Bradley) Mattila of Monroe, WA, Gary (Lisa) Simonson of Cokato, Patricia Davison of Chattaroy, WA, Kent Simonson of Menahga, MN, and Chris (Jodi) Simonson of Deer Park, WA, daughters-in-law Ilona Simonson of Deer Park, WA, and Janet (Mike) Stonelake of Prescott, AZ. Esther is further survived by her sister Lorraine Wisuri of Cokato, many dear grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. Her gentle nature, patience, and love for children will be greatly missed.