Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Whitney Marie (Grangroth) Nelson, the daughter of Wayne and Karen (Kilpela) Grangroth, was born on January 22, 1997 in Buffalo, Minnesota. She grew up in Cokato and was baptized and confirmed at First Apostolic Lutheran Church in Cokato. While in college she re-affirmed her faith through baptism at Hillside Church in Mankato in 2018.
Growing up, Whitney was a creative planner. From birthday party plans to making up neighborhood games she was full of ideas and made them come to life. She had lots of energy and was always up for the next adventure. From playing volleyball to summer trips to Michigan she always had a full schedule. She was able to seamlessly connect to everyone whether they were old or young. Whitney was a 2015 graduate of Dassel-Cokato High School and earned her degree in Social Work from Mankato State University in 2019. After graduation she started her career as a Case Manager at McLeod County Social Services Center. Whitney was passionate about her work as serving others came so naturally to her.
Whitney held so many special roles in her life, but the role she was most proud of was being a loving wife and partner to Nate. Nate and Whitney were married on August 15th, 2020 at Highland Community Church in Cokato, Minnesota. Together they enjoyed making a beautiful home and life together in Buffalo, Minnesota where they spent most of their free time hosting friends and family and working on home improvement projects. Whitney was the queen of do-it-yourself and always had a project up her sleeve (Nate joked that the local Menards store was their second home). She was an exceptional cook and baker, which her loved ones greatly appreciated. Whitney had a unique ability to show others love through her gifts and was incredibly thoughtful. Whether it was a party she was planning or a gift that reminded her of someone, she always made each person in her life feel so special and loved. No detail got past Whitney. Her love for kids was evident in the work she chose to do and how much her nephews and niece adored her – “Auntie Whit” was the very best auntie. One of Whitney’s favorite places was up north on Lake Belle Taine where she spent many family trips and weekend getaways with Nate throughout their dating years and marriage. She loved to travel to the beaches of California and her honeymoon trip with Nate to Lake Tahoe was a perfect beginning to their new life together.
Whitney lit up the lives of everyone who knew her, not only through her outward beauty but especially through the way she loved and served others. The bright light of her spirit, the sound of her laughter, and the joy she brought to every day she lived will be so greatly missed by all who knew her. The heartbreak of Whitney no longer on earth with us is only soothed by the confidence in knowing we will see her again in Heaven someday.
She is survived and will be profoundly missed by her husband Nate, parents Wayne and Karen Grangroth of Cokato, Minnesota, siblings Karlee Grangroth and Jordan Grangroth of Crystal, Lynnlee (Fily) Alamry of Irvine, California, Trisha (Drew) Nelson of Cokato, Brielle, Dustan, Chloe, and Garrett Grangroth of Cokato; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. She will also be very missed by her second family, Chuck and Cindy Nelson of Dassel, Erica (Kurt) Hansen of Champlin, Kate (Shane) McConkey of Cokato, Nicole (Clint) Dammann of Maple Plain, Carter Nelson of Mankato, Minnesota, her nephews Henrik and Eddie Dammann, and her niece Olivia McConkey as well as many extended family and precious friends.
Whitney is preceded in death by her brother Trent and her paternal and maternal grandparents.

Visitation: Sunday, March 7, 2021 4-8 PM and 1 hour prior to services on Monday.
Funeral: Monday, March 8, 2021 11 AM
All at:
Highland Community Church
13800 US Hwy 12 SW
Cokato, MN 55321

Mildred Esther Jatko – January 23, 1927 to February 25, 2021

Mildred “Millie” Esther (Johnson) Jatko was born in Flandreau, South Dakota on January 23, 1927 to Edward and Olive Esther (Biever) Johnson. She was raised in Lake Benton, Minnesota and graduated high school there in 1944. After high school Millie moved to Minneapolis to begin a series of business, accounting, and cashier jobs. One evening while sitting on the front porch of her boarding house a group of GIs were strolling by having just returned from the war, and she took up conversation with her husband-to-be Henry “Hank” Jatko. Henry was living in California with his sisters, and they wrote letters to each other through their courtship before finally joining Henry in southern California. They were married at the Wee kirk o’ the Heather Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 3, 1947. Leaving Inglewood, California in 1950 after the birth of their sons Thomas Leroy and James Henry, returned to Minnesota. The young family then began following Hank’s heavy road construction work in South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming with the birth of Mary Jane and Patricia Ann, along the way. Henry’s civil service work brought them to Colorado, Texas, South Dakota again and Arkansas. They then returned to Minnesota in 1964, settling in North Minneapolis. Millie worked in housekeeping at North Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis and then after some mid-life reschooling in business systems began working with Hennepin County Government.
In 1968, with two sons off to the Army (West Point USMA) and college, Hank and Millie with Pat and Mary Jane move to Bloomington, Minnesota. Having never missed a Sunday worship wherever they lived, the family joined Emmaus Lutheran Church in Bloomington as Mary Jane and Pat attended and graduated from Kennedy High School in Bloomington. Hank and Millie retired from their jobs in 1982 and for a while would spend the winters in Prescott Valley, Arizona. Henry died on February 2, 1991 and was buried at the Finnish Cemetery in Cokato Minnesota. Even before Henry’s death, Millie joined the quilters at Emmaus Lutheran as she hand-pieced and hand-quilted bed quilts for all eight of her grandchildren and a few extra for other special friends; but after quilting Millie’s great joy came from playing cards at the Creekside Center in Bloomington. Relying on friends for rides to church (she had stopped driving around 1955), she transferred membership to Redemption Lutheran Church in Bloomington. As Millie’s mobility declined, she moved into assisted living facilities and finally the LTC facility at Presbyterian Homes of Bloomington.
Mildred is survived by her sons Thomas of Lakewood, Colorado, James (wife Sue Ann) of Raleigh, North Carolina; daughters Mary Jane of Stockholm, Sweden and Patricia (husband Kenneth Peterson) of Apple Valley, Minnesota; grandchildren Deborah, Monica, Megan, Erin, Jennifer, Elaine, Caitlin and Mollie; and 9 great grandchildren; nieces Suzanne, Gwynne, Diane, and Nancy and nephews Michael and Orin.
Funeral Services will be 11 AM on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at Redemption Lutheran Church, 927 East Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, MN 55420 with internment to follow at 3:00 PM at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Presbyterian Homes & Services Foundation (https://www.preshomes.org/get-to-know-us/foundation/make-a-gift-today) to their senior activity programs or Optage Hospice Care.

Gary Gene Stoeckmann was born in Glencoe, Minnesota on September 18, 1947, to Ernst and Martha (Schmitz) Stoeckmann. He grew up in Glencoe and graduated High School in 1965. As a youth he worked often on Aunts and Uncles farms, helping mostly with field work, this was a special time for him and he grew very close to his relatives. After military service he did various jobs, one of witch was working for the Milwaukee Rail Road. He then worked for Minnesota Mining in Hutchinson for 21 years. Most recently he was employed as a machine operator for 14 years and has enjoyed the past 9 years in retirement.
Gary had many hobbies he enjoyed hunting, fishing, taking nature walks, going to the coffee shop, trips up North, Itasca being a favorite. Most of all he was a kind and loving husband to Linnell, caring, compassionate and so much more.
Gary passed away at the Buffalo Hospital on February 24, 2021. He had reached the age of 73 years, 5 months, and 6 days. Survivors include his wife Linnell of Cokato, Siblings: Pat (Roger) Donnay of Elk River, Beth Schlauderaff of Litchfield, Barb (Dick) Maass of Glencoe, and Greg (Patti) Stoeckmann of Farmington. Sister in Law Gay Ewald of Egan, special nephew Tony (Tabitha) Benton. Many nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.
Gary was preceded in death by his parents Ernst and Martha and Brother in Law John Schlauderaff.

There will be a memorial service on at 1:00 PM on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home of Cokato. Coved 19 precautions will be observed (face coverings must be worn, social distancing will be observed)

Wesley James Sigman was born on October 4, 1957 at the Cokato Hospital to Loren and Gertrude (Dake) Sigman. He grew up in Howard Lake and attended School there. He joined the United States Marine Corps and entered service on November 29, 1974. He was honorably discharged on October 31, 1980.
Following military service, Wesley worked in construction building silos. He went to school for law enforcement and worked for Superior Wisconsin Police Department and did security work at casinos and hospitals. Later he worked for a cable company installing cable for internet and telephone.
On August 5, 1989, Wesley married Joanne Marie Ford. The couple made their home first in Superior, Wisconsin, and later Fair Haven, Minnesota. In 2012, Wesley went to school to learn heavy crane operation and most recently worked in that capacity at Astech corporation of St. Joseph, Minnesota He enjoyed computers, fishing, and metal detecting.
Wesley passed away unexpectedly on February 19, 2021. He had reached the age of 63 years, 4 months and 15 days. He is survived by his mother, “Gert” Pettit of Howard Lake; wife; Joanne of Fair Haven; children Danny (Crissy) of Paynesville, Ryan (Kim) Zeppelin of Hutchinson, Jessie (Clint) Kidman of Plymouth, Utah, Kory (Mel) Conway of Newfolden, and Jaryl Sigman of Colorado Springs, Colorado; 17 grandchildren, including Alexis at home with Wesley and Joanne; and siblings Ardis, Genelle, Marvin, Melanie, Lisa, Jim, and Peggy.
He was preceded in death by his sisters Stacy and Linda, and brother Dennis.

There will be a public Visitation from 4-7 PM Saturday, February 27, 2021 at St. Johns Lutheran Church of Howard Lake.
In Lieu of flowers donations are preferred to St. Judes.

Gerald Norman Brekke passed away February 16, 2021 in Winsted, Minnesota. He was born on July 27, 1935 in Willow Lake, South Dakota. Gerald was the son of Norman and Esther Brekke. He lived on the farm with his parents and sister Jeanne in Vienna, South Dakota. Gerald was united in marriage to Sharon Ann Reoh in 1956, Gerald and Sharon had two children. He was a retail salesman for many years in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he was very successful. He had many interests which included fishing, going to the lake cabin, and spending time with his family. Gerald also liked to go to flea markets where he sold jewelry.

Gerald is survived by his daughter Pamela Brunner and his son Scott Brekke. He also has 7 grandchildren: Jason Campbell, Sarah Case, Adam (Amanda) Loch, Amanda Loch, Thomas Brekke, Zachary Brekke, Jennifer Brekke. Gerald also has 8 great grandchildren: Bailey, Kelsey, Logan, Lily, Carter, Xander, Lennox, and Max. He also has 2 great-great grandchildren: Quinten and Olivia. He is preceded in death by his mother and father, his sister Jeanne and several aunts and uncles.

Services will be February 20th at the Swanson Peterson Funeral Chapel at 1pm in Howard Lake, MN. www.swansonpeterson.com 320-543-3401