Obituaries 05/29/25

Amanda Berndt, 49

Amanda D. Berndt, age 49, of Maple Lake died Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Annandale Care Center surrounded by her family.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Maple Lake with Rev. Culynn Curtis officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Lake Community Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. on Friday and 10-11:00 a.m. on Saturday, both at the church.

Amanda Darlean Schmidt was born on November 16, 1975, in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. Her journey through life began in Robbinsdale, but she grew up in Corcoran, Minnesota, alongside her three siblings. After graduating from Buffalo High School in 1994, Amanda attended Ridgewater College.

On April 22, 1995, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Corcoran, MN, Amanda united in marriage with her soul mate, Adam R. Berndt. They built their lives together and made their home in rural Maple Lake. As a proud mother, Amanda devoted herself to raising her four children, instilling in them the values of compassion, hard work, and faith.

Amanda’s commitment to her family extended beyond her role as a homemaker. She was a dedicated cleaner for Zion Lutheran Church in Annandale, ensuring the sacred space was well cared for, while also tending to the homes of others and providing a loving hand at Camp Courage, where she fed the horses.

A passionate gardener and a lover of all things equine and agricultural, Amanda found profound happiness working the land and caring for her animals. She served on the Lake Region Coop Board for 13 years, where she contributed her insights and wisdom to better the lives of those around her.

Amanda is survived by her husband of 30 years, Adam, of Maple Lake; children, Michael (Mariah) Berndt, of  Maple Lake, Audrey Berndt (Gage Crosby), of St. Cloud, Charles Berndt and Calvin Berndt, both of Maple Lake; grandchildren, Maven, McCoy, and Greyson; parents, Harold and Cathy Schmidt, of Corcoran; siblings, Heather (Larry) Bursch, of Buffalo, Ted (Sarah) Schmidt, of Corcoran, and Laura (Darcy) Wandersee, of Hanover; parents-in-law, Randy and Sherry Berndt, of Buffalo; siblings-in-law, Tiffany (Josh) Lange, of Greenfield and Jonah (Laura) Berndt, of Buffalo; and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, other family members, and friends.

Colton Bursch, Zach Lange, Mitchell Schmidt, Andrew Wandersee, Mason Schmidt, William Wandersee, and Jacob Berndt will serve as casket bearers with William and Levi Berndt serving as honorary casket bearers. 

Arrangements entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Maple Lake.

Obituary, Guestbook, and Video Tribute online at www.dingmannfuneral.com.

Patricia Davenport, 79

Patricia Ann Davenport, age 79, of Buffalo, passed away on May 25, 2025. 

(Full notice to appear next week). Services are pending at Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN.

Arrangements are entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.

Betty Ebert, 79

Betty Ann Ebert, 79, of Longville, MN, formerly from the Corcoran and Rogers area, passed away on May 16, 2025.

Betty was born on October 29, 1945. She passed away after a long bout with cancer.

Preceded in death by her parents, George and Harriette (Levanes) Ebert.

Survived by sisters, Jeanette (Lloyd) Anderson, Evelyn Daluge, Georgia (Chester) Jones, Lynda Vergin; brother, Carl (Roxie) Ebert; and many nieces and nephews.

A private family service will be held at a later date.

Arthur Lindberg, 82

Arthur “Butch” William Lindberg, age 82, of Buffalo, passed away on May 18, 2025.

Butch was the youngest son of eight children born to Arthur and Lucille (nee’ Mingo) Lindberg on September 10, 1942 in Minneapolis, MN.

Butch served his country during the Vietnam Era as a very proud Marine.

He is preceded in death by father, Arthur Lindberg; mother, Lucille (Mingo) Lindberg; brothers and sisters, Robert Lindberg, Leroy “Bud” Lindberg, Lewis Lindberg, Margaret Mckenzie, Geraldine Miskowiec, Theodore “Ted” Lindberg, and Mary-Louise Baugher; stepson, Dana Haubrick.

Butch is survived by wife, Beatrice “Bea” (nee’ Aadland) Lindberg; son, Michael Lindberg; stepchildren, Chad Sauter, Debbie Geagan, Al Haubrick, and Bruce Haubrick; granddaughter, Averi Lindberg; also many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Celebration of Life for Butch will be held Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN.

Luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the service.

Private family interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Arrangements were entrusted to The Peterson Chapel in Buffalo, MN.

Rose Olson, 97 

Rose Janet Olson left for her Heavenly Home on February 4, 2025, at Four Seasons Health Center. Rose was born on October 24, 1927, to Carl and Clara Heys Bauman, and had four brothers and four sisters who worked their farm in Wheaton, Minnesota. 

After high school, Rose attended Teachers College for two years before teaching in a one-room schoolhouse. She taught in rural schools for the next 10 years while earning her Bachelor of Science degree from St. Cloud State College. Rose was respected for her teaching skills and recognized as “Teacher of the Year” at Buffalo Elementary School in 1979. Rose retired after 39 years, leaving a legacy of excellence for her students and fellow educators. 

Rose married Floyd Dornquast on December 28, 1947, and during their 25-year marriage, they welcomed a son, Eugene Michael. Floyd passed away in 1973. On August 14, 1975, Rose married John Raynold Olson and was widowed after 31 years. 

Rose led an active life; a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Buffalo, Minnesota, where she was one of the first two women ever on the Church Council, she was past President of the Ladies of Zion, member of Delta Kappa Gamma-Upsilon Chapter, member and past President (three times) of Buffalo Legion Auxiliary #270, and a lifetime member of both the MEA and NEA.

Rose relocated to Columbus, IN, in 2012 to be close to her family and resided at Four Seasons Residential Community, where she served on the Residents’ Council. Rose also enjoyed assisting as a reader and greeter at Four Seasons Chapel worship services. 

Rose was predeceased by her son, Eugene Michael, in 2015. 

Survivors include her daughter-in-law, Pam Dornquast Roth; grandson, Chad (Jayne) Dornquast; great-grandsons, Steven (dec. 4/17/2025) and Scott Dornquast; sister, Joyce Gimmestad; brother, Richard Bauman; stepdaughters, JoAnn Draper and Jodi Ditmore; step-grandchildren, Matthew Draper, and Conor and Olivia Ditmore. 

A special “thank you” to Pamela Dorquast Roth and her husband, Jim, for the wonderful care they gave our sister, Rose, over the past several years, and from Sister Joyce Gimmestad and Brother Richard Bauman. 

There will be no calling hours. The memorial service will take place in Buffalo, Minnesota, on Saturday, May 31, at Zion Lutheran Church. Interment will be at Zion Lutheran Cemetery for family members. This will be directly following the service. Memorials may be made to Our Hospice of South-Central Indiana. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home. You are invited to light a virtual candle of remembrance and send a message of condolence to the Olson family via the funeral home website: www.jewellrittman.com 

To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Rose Janet Dornquast Olson, please visit our Sympathy Store.

Laurence Suhsen, 91

Laurence Dean Suhsen (Larry), 91, passed away May 4, 2025, at home with his wife by his side after a brief but merciless cancer diagnosis.

“Larry,” “Dad,” “Grandpa” lived a long and full life. Born on April 4, 1934, in Streator, Illinois, to Gustav and Annabelle (Cox) Suhsen, Larry was the oldest of four boys, Larry, Leon, Don, and Dave. He grew up in Illinois and worked as a soda jerk in his early years.

 While his parents, Gus and Belle, eventually moved to northern Wisconsin to dairy farm, Larry stayed behind to finish high school in Illinois.

 After graduating, Larry, along with his brother, Leon, enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Larry served from 1953-1957 as a sonar man in the Korean War aboard two different minesweepers, the USS Defense and the USS Prime.

Following his military service, Larry began a 39-year career with the Soo Line Railroad. He took great pride in his work, and his home office displayed an impressive collection of railroad memorabilia.

Larry met the love of his life, Twylah (Dietrich), at a dance hall in Ojibwa, Wisconsin. It was love at first sight, and they married on January 9, 1960.

Larry and Twylah raised their four children, Kym, Kami, Kandi, and Ky—while moving between Wisconsin, Illinois, and eventually settling in Minnesota. In 1969, Larry was assigned his own territory as a railroad signal maintainer, which brought the family to Delano, MN.

In Delano, along the banks of the Crow River, Larry quite literally built their house with a hand saw. His carpentry skills were just one of many; he was a railroader, mechanic, electrician, car restorer, and collector (though famously not a plumber, as he often reminded everyone).

But perhaps his greatest legacy was that of a poet. Larry wrote poems for each of his children and grandchildren—and sometimes friends and extended family. He took great joy in his work and carefully kept personal copies of each poem. His writing extended beyond poetry as well; he regularly submitted articles to various publications.

In their later years, Larry and Twylah enjoyed weekends at classic car shows. Larry almost singlehandedly restored a number of vintage vehicles, including a 1951 Lincoln, a 1951 Mercury Coupe, a 1951 Mercury Convertible, a 1953 Mercury Convertible, and his favorite—and final—project, a 1951 Ford Crestliner. His goal was always to restore each car as close to original as possible.

Larry and Twylah were longtime members of the Minnesota Street Rod Association (MSRA), the Wright County Car Club, and the Early Ford V8 Club. Larry especially loved road trips in his classic cars.

Particularly in retirement, Larry was an avid reader. Visitors to the Suhsen home could often find him in one of four places, the shop, the barn, the porch, or his chair—reading. As his daughter fondly said, he was a “blue-collar intellectual”—a man with the hands of a true tradesman and the mind of a scholar.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Twylah; his four children, Kym Tabery (Tony), Kami Dahl (John), Kandi Suhsen (Terry), and Ky Suhsen; his grandchildren, DeAnn Fink, Jason Tabery, Delissa Madden (Mike), and Jade and Mitchell Suhsen; and his great-grandchildren, Owen and Weston Fink, and Gus and Annabelle Madden.

Also surviving are his brothers and sisters-in-law, Don and Carol Suhsen, Shirley Suhsen, and Dave Suhsen; nieces, nephews, and many more extended family members and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Gustav and Annabelle Suhsen; his brother, Leon (Shirley); his sister-in-law, Mary Suhsen (Dave); and nieces, Nancy and Christie Suhsen.

Our hearts hurt for our loss, but we will treasure the memories and the many lessons we’ve learned from him. Larry left this earth as a legend.

Please join us for a celebration of his life at the Buffalo American Legion on Thursday, June 12, from 5-8 p.m. Honor Guard and Chaplain Service begins at 6:00 p.m.

Daniel Vergin, 64

Daniel William Vergin, age 64, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.  

He was born on June 15, 1960, to Carol Mae and William Vergin. Dan began his faith journey with his baptism into Christ Jesus in the summer of 1960 at Cross Lutheran Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rockford, MN. He was confirmed into the Lutheran faith on April 7, 1974, and his memory passage was Revelation 2:10; “Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.”

Dan lived a life full of challenges but always remained engaged, curious, and faithful to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He loved socializing with family, friends, and fellow church members. He was known for his excellent memory for car makes, models, and vintages, as well as birthdays and anniversaries of his friends and relatives. He maintained a lifelong connection to the Strecker Family Farm in Fairhaven, MN, where he spent many hours with his family exploring the land and Lake Caroline. There are many beautiful willow trees still standing today along the shores of Lake Caroline that Dan planted and nurtured. He loved spending time on the family farm with Grandma and Grandpa Strecker where he spent many hours outdoors in nature. He caught his biggest Northern while fishing on Lake Caroline with Grandpa Louis Strecker and spent many hours in the company of Grandma Esther in her kitchen.

Dan spent the majority of his life living with his mom and dad, Carol Mae and Bill Vergin.  

He was preceded in death by his father, Bill Vergin, on March 3, 1991; and his mother, Carol Mae Vergin on December 14, 2020. He was also preceded in death by his Grandma and Grandpa Vergin in 1998 and 1971. Grandma and Grandpa Strecker preceded Dan in death in 1989 and 1998.

Dan’s life was defined by his Christian faith. He was a lifelong member and attendee of all three Lutheran churches that he called home, including Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rockford, Concordia Lutheran Church in Fairhaven, and his current church, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Buffalo, MN. He loved to attend church services, events, and interacting with his church family. In his final years, his most important request was to attend church services. Even in his last days, he yearned for God’s word, as diligently provided by Pastors Clark and Ryan.

Dan is survived by his younger brother, Timothy Vergin; and sister-in-law, Randi Vergin; as well as many relatives, friends, and fellow church members.

Funeral services for Daniel Vergin will be held at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 11:00 A.M. with visitation two hours prior to the service. A private interment will be held at Concordia Lutheran Cemetery in Fairhaven, MN.

The Peterson Chapel, Buffalo, MN, assisted the family with funeral arrangements. Online condolences can be made at www.thepetersonchapel.com.

David Zitur Sr., 85

David Leo Zitur Sr. passed away on May 11, 2025, at the age of 85. He was a resident of Suite Living in Eden Prairie. Dave formerly lived in the Buffalo area.

Dave was born January 4, 1940, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. He was the last of eight children born to Michael and Miriam Zitur (Roering). Dave earned an associate’s degree from the University of Minnesota and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. He worked as an executive at many companies in the Twin Cities area, including Control Data, Fingerhut, and Martin Marietta.   Dave also owned his own consulting company, specializing in developing applications for retail establishments.

Dave married Marguerite Francois on February 11, 1961. Their marriage was blessed with four children (Rory, David, Randy, and Keith), eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.   Following the death of Marguerite in 2003, Dave later married Deborah Lange in 2006. They were divorced in 2022.

Dave was a devout Catholic and was a member of St. Francis parish in Buffalo, MN, for many years. Dave loved his family and was a loyal husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He enjoyed travel and made multiple visits to Australia and other regions of the world.     

Dave was preceded in death by his first wife, Marguerite; son, Rory, and son, Keith.  

Survived by son, David (Cheryl), of Corcoran, son, Randy (Sherri), of Rosemount; grandchildren, Susannha Wunderlin (Mark), Anne Lindroth (Erik), Zachary Zitur, Christopher Zitur, Jonathon Zitur (Amy), Benjamin Zitur, Jessica Zitur (Aaron Gilley), Nicole Zitur; and seven great-grandchildren. Dave also has two surviving siblings, Jane Hawkins (Tucson, Arizona) and Carol Justin (St. Cloud, MN).

Visitation will be held, Friday, June 20, 2025, from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church in Osseo MN, with Mass immediately following at 10:30 a.m. Lunch will be served after mass. Arrangements are under the direction of the Cremation Society of Minnesota.