Lois Andrea (Nybakken) Kresl was born in Warren, MN to Clarence and Effie (Knutson) Nybakken on June 13, 1940. She passed away, surrounded by love and her immediate family, on July 23, 2022, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN, at the age of 82 years.
Lois grew up in Warren, MN, with her parents and brother James, where she was close to many aunts, uncles, and cousins. As a child, she enjoyed music, especially playing the flute and piano, ice skating, her pet Samoyeds, and time with her friends. She kept in close contact with many friends returning to the Marshall County Fair each summer to enjoy her class reunions. While completing high school, Lois taught English as a second language to migrant workers’ children and worked at the Warren drive-in movie theater, where she first met Larry. She attended and graduated from Warren public schools in 1958 and furthered her education by attending Moorhead State University in Moorhead, MN. She graduated in 1962 with a bachelors degree in elementary education. Here she made additional friends she kept in touch with over the years. She married Larry Kresl of Angus, MN, following graduation, on June 9, 1962.
Lois loved her profession and immediately began teaching in Crookston, MN. In 1963 she and Larry moved to Roseville, MN, where she taught second grade at North Heights elementary school. In 1964 their son, John was welcomed into the family. Following Larry’s graduation from the University of Minnesota in 1966, the family relocated to Moorhead, MN. It was here that their daughter, Julie Lynn, was welcomed into the family in 1968.
In 1969, after a six-month stint in Omaha, NE, the family moved to Sun Prairie, WI, where Lois taught Montessori school. Lois continued touching the lives of many children teaching Montessori in Green Bay, WI. Here she delighted in putting her talents to work in creating numerous activities and games for the development of young children, including her own.
In the summer of 1974, the family moved a final time and settled in Amery, WI. Here Lois taught kindergarten for over 20 years and a few years of Title One, a program for students that needed additional assistance. Lois had a 25-year career at Amery Public Schools, retiring in 2000. It was with great joy and pride that Lois educated a couple of generations of children from the Amery community.
Outside of her family and career, Lois had many interests. Travel was one of her greatest pleasures, allowing her to express her innate curiosity in exploring new places and meeting new people. She traveled to several Scandinavian countries – and Norway twice, where she enjoyed time with her extended family and the richness of her Norwegian heritage. She cruised the Caribbean, Mexico, and six European countries on a riverboat down the Danube. Other travels include trips to China, Guatemala, England, and the African Countries of South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. When not traveling overseas, she enjoyed exploring several states and Canada, often via RV with Larry after they had retired.
Beyond travel, Lois also enjoyed reading, gardening, playing the piano, pottery, Rosemaling, macramé, playing tennis, investing in stocks, cross stitch, putting together jigsaw puzzles, and scrapbooking. She created beautiful scrapbooks for her four grandchildren that will be cherished forever. Lois was active in the Amery community as a longstanding poll worker, First Lutheran Church member where she was in the bell choir and served on many committees, participated in the Woman’s Community Club of Amery, and immensely enjoyed being a founder of the local chapter of The Sons of Norway.
Lois’ greatest pleasure was her family. Playing games, baking cookies, riding bikes, watching sporting events, camping, doing art and craft projects, celebrating birthdays, teaching or learning a new activity, orchestrating family holidays, etc. She took every opportunity to enjoy the moments, small and large.
Left to mourn Lois’ passing are her husband of 60 years, Larry, son John (Phoenix, AZ), and daughter Julie Lynn (Mahtomedi, MN). Remaining also are John’s wife, Julie Rae, and their children Lexy, Logan, and Colten; Julie Lynn’s son Nathan and her fiancé Dan Lallak and his children Matt, Justin, and Kylie; and her sister-in-law, Bette Nybakken, as well as many extended family members.
Preceding Lois are her parents, Clarence and Effie Nybakken, brother James Nybakken, and parents-in-law William and Clara Kresl.
Visitation will be from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Williamson-White Funeral Home on Friday, August 5, 2022, and one hour prior to the funeral service at First Lutheran Church, Amery, WI, at 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Burial will be in Warren, MN, at a later date.
Celebration of Life for Lois Kresl
August 6, 2022 • Tim Bjorge • Psalm 23, Galatians 5:13–22, Luke 18:15–17, Mark 6:1–34
Catherine Ann Hagan Funeral
December 1, 2023 • Tim Bjorge
Obituary Cathy entered eternal life on Thursday, November 23, 2023. Her spirit is carried on by her husband, Stephen Hagen, 3 children, 5 grandchildren, great grandson, two surviving siblings and an extended family of relations and friends from every walk of life. We were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from Cathy during her 76 years, among them: if it’s on clearance, buy it, you never know when you’ll need 7 Christmas platters. Let your husband feed the dog ice cream every night. Take lots of walks, golf, travel, and never stop laughing. Go to church. Volunteer your time. Keep every single Vikings play book from the games you attend. Bring a cooler full of cherry coke everywhere you go. You never know when you might need one. And show up for your friends and your family. Cathy did it all and more. Her stories, humor, and kindness will live on. Cathy was born and raised in Two Harbors, MN. Where she and her husband, Steve, met and fell in love. They later moved to Amery, WI, where she spent the rest of her days raising children, playing bridge and other card games with friends, golfing, playing handbells, and working for several accountants, Polk county clerk of courts, and doing payroll at Golden Age Manor. She also spent time volunteering at the Food Shelf in Amery especially with food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. Cathy was very involved in First Lutheran Church. She also traveled many places with friends and family including wintering in Arizona, traveling home to Two Harbors, and cruising in Hawaii and Alaska. Her final days were spent at Amery Memory care where she passed away, peacefully. She is survived by her husband: Steve Hagen; siblings: Todd (Suzie) Cullen, Judy (Mike) Herbst; children: Lori Sather (Chad Rindt), Scott Hagen (Deb), Eric Hagen (Sarah); grandchildren: Jordan Parmeter (Alex), Alex Sather, Dylan Hagen, Ben Hagen, and Brooke Hagen; great-grandson: Harrison Parmeter; and many in-laws, nieces, nephews, friends and family too numerous to list. Cathy is reunited with her mother and father, Dale and Burnette Cullen. Friends can visit with the Hagen family at First Lutheran Church in Amery, WI on Friday, December 1, 2023 at 10:00 am. Service will begin at 11:00 am and there will be a lunch following that. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that a donation in honor of Cathy be made to the Amery Food Pantry or First Lutheran Church.
Orrin "Doc" Arneson Funeral
May 25, 2023 • Tim Bjorge
Dr. Orrin Nathan Arneson was born on July 14, 1928 to Rudolph and Elizabeth (Sagler) Arneson in DeSoto, WI. He passed away on Monday, May 22, 2023 at the age of 94 at Riverbend Assisted Living in Amery, WI. Orrin was in the Navy during World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Minnesota for Forestry. He then went to Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, OK where he received his FAA Aircraft and Engine Mechanic license. He was a line mechanic for two years at Wisconsin Central Airlines in Madison, WI. In 1951, he went to Marquette University in Michigan for pre-med and then attended four years at the University of Wisconsin Medical School where he got his doctorate of medicine. He graduated on June 15, 1956 and he then married Kristie (Leirmo) on June 16, 1956 in Ferryville, WI. He did his residency at Blodgett Memorial Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan and started his general practice in July of 1957 at Amery Clinic until 1985 when he merged with Family Medical Clinic. They were blessed with four children Vicki, Duane, Yvonne and Gwen. Orrin loved flying his small personal plane, hunting elk in Idaho, deer hunting near Minong, fishing, camping and world traveling. He was active in the community, serving on the School board, Church council and serving many pancake breakfasts at the Amery airport. He was a proud veteran and volunteered for many events. He loved being a general practitioner doctor, and many family trips and events were scheduled around the over 1,400 babies that he delivered during his practice. Orrin is preceded in death by his parents, sister Ardis Libke, brother-in-law Dr. Bob Libke, brother Neil Arneson, and sister-in-law Dianne Arneson. He is survived by his beloved wife, Kristie, daughter Vicki (Barry) Martin of Bloomington, MN; son Duane (Bobbi Volstad) Arneson of Pierson, FL; daughter Yvonne (Dennis) Darragh of Sebastian, FL; and daughter Gwen (Rick) Johannsen of Amery; and by four grandchildren, Adam (Anne) Martin, Tricia (Michael) Heagle, Alexandra (Micheal) Bell, Amanda Johannsen and three great grandchildren, Mila Heagle, Kira Heagle and Maci Bell. The family would like to thank the entire staff at Riverbend for their compassion, support and excellent care! Funeral services will take place at 11:00 am on Thursday, May 25, 2023 at First Lutheran Church in Amery. Visitation will take place from 5 to 7 pm on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery as well as the hour prior to the service at church. A private family interment with Military Honors will take place in July at the Northern Wisconsin Veteran’s Memorial Center in Spooner, WI. In lieu of flowers, memorials gratefully accepted to First Lutheran Church, Amery.