Swanson Peterson Funeral Home

Steven Dale Weber passed away February 8, 2025 at The Glenn in Buffalo, MN.

Steve was born in Cokato, MN on June 3, 1953 to George and Lorraine (Scheer) Weber. He spent his early years on the family dairy farm in Howard Lake. He attended St. James Lutheran School and later graduated with the Class of 1971 from Howard Lake High School. On July 8, 2006, he married Bonnie Gorecki.

Known to many throughout Howard Lake as “Webs”, he was a true man of service to his friends, family and community. He was a long time staff member at the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Schools as a teacher assistant, and media specialist. Steve’s passion for Laker sports was second to none. He spent countless hours at events dedicating time to taking stats for many football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball teams. He was a huge supporter of the Howard Lake Orphans amateur baseball team. Steve also loved to bowl and was secretary of the Men’s Bowling League for many years. Besides being a sports fanatic, he was a loyal member of Howard Lake Lions Club for over three decades. He enjoyed Bingo, golf, and going for walks. Steve was a lifelong member of the St. James Lutheran Church.

Steve is survived by wife Bonnie, step-children: Becky Frank, Carol (Dean) Ariola, Jessica (Nate) Bond and 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by siblings: Ron (Jean) Weber, Mark (Linda) Weber, and brother-in-Law Ken Broker, nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends.

Steve is preceded in death by his parents, sister Marilynne Broker, sister-in-Law Norma Weber and step-son Rodney Frank, Jr.

Services will be held at 12 Noon on Saturday, February 22, 2025 at St. James Lutheran Church of Howard Lake, Minnesota with visitation starting at 10 AM.

Arrangements by Swanson Peterson Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Cokato & Howard Lake, Minnesota. #320-286-2534 www.swansonpeterson.com

Terry Alan Burkett was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 8th, 1963 to Lavonne Burkett and James “Jim” Burkett. He spent his childhood moving around from Milwaukee to Illinois to Iowa and then finally Waverly, Minnesota where he attended Howard Lake Waverly Winsted High School. Here, he met his wife Judy (Mochinski) Burkett whom he was married to for forty-one years. They had three children and six grandchildren together.

Terry’s greatest joys in life were his family and sports. When his boys were younger, he coached their little league sports teams and when his daughter was a gymnast, he never missed a meet. You could always find him on the basketball court with his kids and all the neighborhood kids shooting hoops or teaching them how to pitch. His endless support did not stop after his kids were grown. He attended all his grandchildren’s events, even driving around the country to ensure he never missed an event. He also stayed actively involved in modified softball and was a member of a dart league. In his spare time, Terry could also be found on a boat fishing, in the casino with friends, or being mischievous and playing a prank on his friends and co-workers.

Aside from being a family man, Terry was known by most within the community for his work as a self-employed painter. He had worked as a painter for many years and started his own business in 1993 that he maintained until his cancer diagnosis.

Terry passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family and his Frenchie, Ace on February 6th, 2025 after a long battle with terminal brain cancer. He underwent every treatment option available, even an experimental treatment in hopes that he could help others in his position.

Terry is survived by his mother Lavonne; his wife Judy; his sisters: Bobbie, Lori, and Jodi, and his brother James; his children: Joshua (Jenny), Joseph (Leah), and Ashley (Bennett); grandchildren: Ethan, Bryce, Brayden, Alayna, Rosie, and James; and numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jim; his brother, Mark, and infant brother, Craig.

His Celebration of Life will be held at The Blue Note in Winsted, MN on Friday, February 14, 2025 from 4 PM to 7 PM.

Jacqueline Marion Gice, age 79, passed away February 1, 2025 at Cokato Manor Nursing Home surrounded by family.

She was born in Minneapolis, MN on June 18, 1945 to parents William and Dorothy (Buck) Baxter. She graduated with the Fridley High School Class of 1963. She married Gary Gice in 1966. Together they had two children, Julie & Jonathan.

Jackie loved doing craft projects, making greeting cards, spending time in the flower gardens, sewing and reading. Most of all, she loved her family, friends and pets.

Jackie is survived by her husband, Gary of 58 years, daughter Julie Roelofs, son Jon (Kari) Gice, Grandchildren: Jenna (Lane) Scherber, Nathan Gice and their mother Rachelle, and Zachary Roelofs, and Daniel Roelofs, Great Grandchildren: Cora Sherber and one on the way. She is also survived by sister-in-law Betty Gice, and brother & sister-in law David & Beth Gice. She will be missed by all including many nieces, nephews, cousins, her best friend Barb Nelson (Loyd), many friends and her dog, Rusty.

She was preceded in death by her parents Floyd & Dorothy Baxter, sisters and brothers-in-law Jeri & John Green, Barbara & Lee Johnson and brother, William (Bill) Baxter and several uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.

The family would like to thank the entire staff at Cokato Manor for the kind and loving care they gave Jackie (and her family) for almost 5 years. You were all great!

Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Swanson Peterson Funeral Home in Cokato, Minnesota. Visitation will start one hour prior.

Evelyn Darlene Kleve was born in Swanville, MN, on January 29, 1939, to Claude deForest Prickett and Esther Oslund Prickett. She was the youngest of five children. Evelyn spent her childhood in Swanville before moving to Minneapolis, where she attended Roosevelt High School. She married Vernon Kleve, Sr., to which four sons were born. They later divorced after 26 years of marriage.

Evelyn’s life was consumed by being a full-time mother/chauffer to her boys, between baseball and hockey she was either taking them to practice or watching games! In 1973, they moved their family to Howard Lake, and in 1976 they purchased the Lake Bowl, where she helped with the bookkeeping and serving as hostess. Ev worked in a variety of other occupations as well, including Tennant, Dura Supreme, Hutchinson Technology and lastly Aveyron Group Homes, where she enjoyed spending time with her clients and taking them to various activities throughout the Hutchinson area.

Family was important to Ev, and she always enjoyed a family picnic, time at the beach, or celebrating holidays.

Ev passed away on January 31, 2025, two days after her 86th birthday at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia after a brief illness. In her final days, family never left her side, lovingly caring for her every need, as she had cared for her family throughout her many years.

Evelyn is survived by sons: Vernon Jr (Charity), Daniel (Julie) and Robert; grandchildren: Adam (Kelly), Ashley, Holly (Jeremy), Christina (DeAnn), Joshua, Morgan (Troy), McCall (Forrest), Neil (Nicole), Ryan (Melynda), and Kevin; great-grandchildren: Micah, Noah, Isaiah, Jonah, Grady, Sienna, Preston, Spencer, Sophiya, Kendyl, Westin, and numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by parents and siblings, son, Kyle, granddaughter, Madeysen.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 AM, Sat. Feb 8, 2025 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Howard Lake, MN with visitation 1 hour prior.

Joyce Annette Roepke died peacefully in her sleep at Elysian Memory Care in Chanhassen, MN on February 2, 2025 at the age of 81 years old. She was a proud North Dakota native born on the family farm near Merricourt, ND to Phillip and Emily Young on Oct 22, 1943. She was one of eleven children. She grew up on that same family farm and graduated from Kulm, ND High School in 1961.

She moved to Hutchinson, MN in 1962 and married Roger Wayne Rice in 1963. They had 4 children; Brent, Steven, Leigh and Lynn and lived on Lake Washington near Dassel, MN. Roger died in a car accident in 1977.

Joyce married Roger Leroy Roepke in 1986. They combined their families including daughter Kelli (Roepke) Palmquist. They made their home in Cokato, MN for more than 30 years.

Joyce was an animal lover, an avid gardener and flower “whisperer”. She enjoyed entertaining and making delicious meals for her large family. She and Roger liked to golf and travel internationally. They went on a number of State Farm award trips including Hawaii and Germany. After Roger’s retirement, they enjoyed wintering in Mesquite, NV and visiting Palm Springs all the while perfecting their barbecue expertise.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Roger Roepke; daughter Leigh Sangren; sisters Carol, Lois and Ramona and brothers Gene, Don and Jim.

Survivors include children: Brent (Karna) Rice of Minnetrista, Steve Rice of Benson, Lynn (Scott) Anderson of Montrose, Troy Sangren of Glenwood, Kelli (Tad) Palmquist of Warroad; grandchildren Kristina (John) Lombardi (great grandson Gio), Lauren Rice, Tommy (Kayla) Rice, Jayson Rice, Annelise Rice, Jack Palmquist, Jase Palmquist, Henry Palmquist, Emily Haan and Ashley Haan; sisters Norma (Arlie) Schlect, Ruth (Dennis) Buchholz, Linda Kunerth, Susie (Bruce) Lindgren and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, February 10, 2025 at Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cokato, Minnesota. Visitation begins one hour prior to service.

In lieu of flowers, please donate a memorial to the Alzheimer’s Association.
https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=32112&32112.donation=form1