If you have any obituaries published before 1923 that you would like to contribute to the page, please send them to me and I will add them. Obituaries published after 1922 will be abstracted to avoid copyright violations.
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Thomas Offerdal 79, Laid to Rest
Thomas Offerdal, lifetime resident of St. James and the Echols community, died at his home at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 16, at the age of 79.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Lutheran church with family service at 1:30 at the Watonwan Funeral Home.
Burial was in Mt.. Hope Cemetery. Pallbearers were Harvey, Clarence and Arden LaDell, ___ber Offerdal, and Dale Schutz, all nephews of the deceased.
Mr. Offerdal was the son of Ole and Marie Offerdal, who came from Norway in 1865 and settled in the Long Lake community. Thomas was born on Aug 30, 1875. He attended Long Lake grade school and graduated from St. James High School. Ned Peck of St. James was a member of his graduating class.
Mr. Offerdal ran a store at Echols for a number of years before coming to St. James in 1907.
He was married to Hilda Schoyne, who died in 1932. In 1936 he was married to Mrs. Carl Offerdal, at Aberdeen, S. Dakota.
Tom Offerdal was in the banking business for a number of years, was secretary and treasurer for the National Farm Loan Association, wrote insurance, and was active in farm management work.
A member of the First Lutheran church, he was very active in church affairs, serving in a number of offices, and giving much time and effort, especially toward the building of the new church. Mr. Offerdal was a guest of honor at the corner-stone laying ceremony of the church now under construction and recalled the history of the church.
Mr. Offerdal is survived by his widow, two sisters Mrs. Henry (Emma) Wettestad, Sioux Falls, S. Dakota, and Mary Offerdal of Minneapolis, a brother Nelliums, of St. James, and a host of relatives and friends in this community and the surrounding countryside.
Mrs. Offerdal�s daughter, Mrs. C. A. Hegg, of Aberdeen, S. D. and two sons, L. L. Offerdal, Fargo, ND and E. S. Offerdal, Garrison, ND, were with their mother when death came to Mr. Thomas Offerdal.
St. James Courier
24 Nov 1954, 1:3
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher
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*Mattie I. Olson
Mattie Ida Olson, 92, died Monday in pleasant View Good Samaritan Center.
Funeral service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday in First Lutheran church, with Rev. Stephanie Frey and Rev. Larry Wohlrabe officiating. Organist for the service is Judy Munson, and soloist, Sandy Sunde.
Visitation continues until 9 p.m. in Pease Funeral Home, as well as at the church one hour prior t the service.
Pallbearers are Steven Olson, David Olson, Eugene Zarn, Kenneth Henderson, Chauncey Brua, and Dennis Schmillen. Burial is in Mt. Hope cemetery.
The daughter of Alfred and Anna (Henderson) Peterson, she was born March 6, 1895 at St. James, where she grew up and attended.
After graduation from high school, she lived at St. Paul and worked in the office of the Great Northern Railroad.
On June 7, 1922 she married John Olson at St. James. They lived at Ormsby, St. James, Crookston, and in 1944 moved to St. Paul.
She worked at Raymond Laboratories for a couple of years, and for 16 years worked at the Golden Rule department store at St. Paul until retiring in 1960.
IN 1970 she moved back to St. James, and had been a resident of Pleasant View since 1984. She was a member of First Lutheran church at St. James, and the Crookston VFW auxiliary.
Nine brothers and a sister preceded her in death.
Survivors include two sons, Wayne of St. James and Jerome of Fridley, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
St. James Plaindealer
2 April 1987
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher
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*Alfred Peterson dies; services on Thursday
Thursday afternoon funeral services for Alfred E. Peterson, 81, are to be conducted at 2:00 at First Lutheran church with Rev. Calvin Berg officiating. Mr. Peterson died at Watonwan Memorial hospital Sunday evening.
Reviewal is at Anderson Funeral home, starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
A resident of St. James all his life, Mr. Peterson was a retired railroad man. He was born at St. James March 3, 1885, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peterson, attended St. James schools and Mankato Commercial college.
Survivors include three brothers and two sisters. They are Ernest, Carl and Oscar of St. James, Mrs. Elizabeth Lindquist of St. James, and Mrs. John (Mattie) Allen of St. Paul.
Five brothers preceded him in death.
Mr. Peterson was a member of First Lutheran church, and was a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen. He was an avid sports fan, especially baseball, fishing and hunting.
Music will be by Mrs. M. K. Hegstrom and Mildred Olson and interment will be in Mt. Hope cemetery.
St. James Courier
12 April 1966, 1:6
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher
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*Alfred Peterson Dies at His home in This City After Lingering Illness
Funeral Services Held Tuesday at Home and Norwegian Lutheran Church, Rev. M. K. Hartman Officiating--St. James But Small Village When This Old Settler Came Here
Funeral services were held at 2:30 o�clock Tuesday afternoon from the house and at 3:30 o�clock from the Norwegian Lutheran church, St. James, for Alfred Peterson, aged 69 years and 11 months, who died at 5:30 o�clock Sunday afternoon from bladder complications.
Mr. Peterson has not been in good heath for some time. He has been confined to his bed for several weeks, growing weaker and weaker until death came.
Alfred Peterson was born Aug. 3, 1853 in Sweden. He attended school there and came to this country at the age of sixteen years. He lived first at Rockford, Ill. He came to Watonwan county in 1872 and took up a homestead five miles south of Butterfield. After securing title to this farm he went back to Rockford.
At the age of twenty-three years, the young man came to Minnesota to make his home. He settled in St. James. He was married to Miss Anna Henderson in 1880 here at St. James. The family has lived here since. To this union nine children have been born who are: John, Henry, Alfred, Arthur, Elizabeth, Carl Oscar, Mattie (Mrs. John Olson, Ormsby), Ernest. All but Mrs. Olson live at home. He has three sisters, Mrs. John Wimmer, Butterfield; Mrs. C. A. Linn, and Miss Ida Peterson, Rockford.
The funeral services held Tuesday were in charge of Rev. M. K. Hartman. Music was furnished by the Norwegian Lutheran Church Choir.
St. James was but a small village when Mr. Peterson arrived here. But one house stood on the north side of the Omaha tracks. Few business houses graced the business section of the town. During his lifetime the town has grown to a thriving city with its beautiful homes and splendid streets and parks. Mr. Peterson has made a host of friends during his residence here, and the Plaindealer joins them in extending sympathy to the bereaved.
The out-of-town guests for the funeral were: Mrs. E. D. Getten, Duluth; Mrs. Frank Johnson, Superior; the Misses Anna and Julia Linn, Rockford, Ill; Dr. Emma Huntley, Minneapolis; Mr. and Mrs. O. Holden, St. Paul; Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Peterson, and Elmer Peterson, Dunnell, La.
St. James Plaindealer, 28 June 1923, 1:1-2
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher of the St. James Plaindealer
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*Butch Peterson dies at age 86
Full military honors are to be accorded to Carl L. �Butch� Peterson in burial ceremonies Friday.
Mr. Peterson died in the St. James hospital Tuesday after being in ill health about one month. He was 86.
Death was attributed to complications of age and heart failure.
Funeral service is at First Lutheran church at 2 p.m. with a family service at 1:45. Rev. Charles Beronius is officiating.
Visitation is at Jensen Funeral home from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, until noon on Friday, and at the church one hour prior to services.
Peterson was a veteran of World War I, a member of the American Legion, and a partner with his brother Ernest, in operating the Crescent Cafe about 35 years.
A baseball player of some renown, he was active in the Southern Minnesota league in the 1920s, enjoyed hunting and fishing and sports of all kinds. He played outfield with St. James in the 1924 and 1927 state amateur baseball tournaments.
He was born at St. James on Aug. 29, 1891, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peterson, attended school here and was married to Anna May Woodard on January 18, 1924. Mrs. Peterson died Dec. 5, 1972.
Survivors include his brother, Ernest, a sister, Mrs. Mattie Olson, nieces and nephews. Five brothers and a sister preceded him in death.
Burial is in Mt. Hope cemetery.
Plaindealer
24 Aug 1978, 2:4
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher of the St. James Plaindealer
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*Funeral Thursday for John Peterson
Funeral services will be held Thursday at First Lutheran church in St. James for John Edward Peterson, who died at Watonwan Memorial hospital Monday morning on his 82nd birthday.
Death followed a six-month illness and a three-week hospitalization.
Services will be at 2 p.m. and interment will be in Mt. Hope cemetery.
Mr. Peterson is survived by four brothers and two sisters. They are Alfred, Carl, Ernest and Oscar, and Mrs. F. H. Lindquist of St. James and Mrs. John Olson of St. Paul. Four brothers proceeded him in death.
He was born in St. James June 17, 1881, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peterson. He attended local schools and was a retired railroad employee. He was a member of First Lutheran church.
Anderson Funeral home is in charge of arrangements and pallbearers will be Chaunce Brua, Thomas Henderson, Harry Johnson, Jerome Olson, Wayne Olson and Clayton Wetterberg. Mrs. Richard Bolin and Mrs. Carl Gigstad will furnish the music.
St. James Courier
18 June 1963, 1:6
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher
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*Rites held for Oscar Peterson
Saturday afternoon funeral service was conducted at First Lutheran church for Oscar E. �O.P.� Peterson, 82, who died at Pleasant View Home Wednesday morning.
Dr. Gerald Giving officiated and interment was in Mt. Hope cemetery. Pallbearers were Philip Henderson, Chaucey Brua, Wayne Olson, Jerome Olson, Arnold Stradtman and Clayton Wetterberg.
Music was by Clara Gigstad as organist, Dennis Hunstad as soloist.
Mr. Peterson operated an electrical shop and was employed in the electrical department for the city of St. James many years. He serviced with the volunteer fire department more than 30 years and served in the armed forces in World War I. He was a member of Veterans of World War I, and his hobby was sports.
Born at St. James on May 14, 1893, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Peterson. He attended school here.
Survivors include two brothers, Carl and Ernest Peterson and one sister, Mrs. Mattie Olson, all of St. James. There are several nieces and nephews. Four brothers and one sister preceded him in death.
Jensen Funeral home was in charge of arrangements.
St. James Plaindealer
9 Sept 1975, 5:1
Reprinted with the permission of the publisher of the St. James Plaindealer
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