Mel Lockhart

Memorial services for Melvons Norman Lockhart, 59, were held at the Menahga School auditorium on Saturday, November 12. Mel passed away peacefully in his home on November 7, 2011, to be with his Lord, after a 19 year battle with scleroderma.
Mel was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 21, 1952 and eventually moved to Annandale. Mel attended Annandale High and lettered in football, basketball and track, graduating in 1970. He attended Golden Valley Lutheran Junior College and played football there for two seasons. Mel joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served from 1972 until his honorable discharge in 1976. He began his career as a Minnesota State Trooper in 1976 and retired from the patrol in 1999. His retirement from the patrol allowed him to pursue his lifelong passion of photography full time.
Mel’s first experience in photography was when he was 14 years old and assisted his older brother in photographing a Jewish bar mitzvah. As a military police officer in the Marines he was involved in the return of POWs in the Vietnam era and took many photographs of this historic event. Mel took photographs of various criminal and civil matters which were many times used in court proceedings for criminal prosecutions, accident investigations and insurance claims throughout his 23 year career as a patrol officer.
He started Mel Lockhart Photography in 1999 and specialized in aerial, wedding, graduation, sports, baby and family gathering type photography. Mel was a NPS (Nikon Professional Services) member and had been published in various newspapers in northern Minnesota for sports photography as well as W.I.N. and the Guillotine magazines. Mel actively operated the business until he turned it over to his son, Justen, in November 2011.
Mel’s hobbies included wild life and nature photography, fishing, hunting and electronics. He was elected to the Menahga School Board in 2010. Service on the board became a great passion of his and he felt honored to have been selected by the community to serve. Mel was a member of the VFW, Menahga Area Chamber and Menahga United Methodist Church Board.
He is survived by his wife of 23 years Carmen; his daughters Charnelle and Carissa; his son Justen and step-son Josh; and his grandchildren Taylor, Teddy, Elliana and Adriana; his mother, Vernell Browder; brothers Gerry and Al Lockhart; sister Angie Lockhart; and six nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Lorenzo Lockhart.
Honorary pallbearers wereJusten, Gerry and Al Lockhart, Josh Meech, Bernie Olejniczak, Marlin Warmbold. Steve Kneisl, Jason Bjelkengren, Don Mullen, Jamie and Jason Lockhart, John Allen and Paul Rach.
Memorial contributions can be sent to the Scleroderma Foundation (www.scleroderma.org/chapter/minnesota/).

Cathryan Mein

Memorial services for Cathryan Ann Mein, infant daughter of Lance and Ashley (White) Mein, were held on Wednesday, November 9, at the Domian-Anderson Funeral Home in Bertha with Pastor Del Moen of the Balsamlund Lutheran Church of Aldrich presiding. Cathrayn passed away at the age of 8 weeks on Sunday, November 6, 2011 at her home in Bertha before being taken to the Tri-County Hospital in Wadena.
Cathryan was born at 6:15 a.m. on September 5, 2011 at the Douglas County Hospital in Alexandria.
She will forever be in our hearts and in our mind. We love you, baby girl. God has a big plan for you and you are sitting on the lap of Jesus Christ. We love and miss our angel rose.
Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
She is survived by her parents Lance and Ashley; grandparents Larry and Cindy Mein of Illinois and Wayne and Debbie White of New York; sisters Cesilia, Sydney and Casandra; and brother Christoffer. She is also survived by their very special friend, Mommy Angela Siegel, who opened up her home and heart to Cathryan and her family.

Jean Conrad

Funeral services for Jean (Smith) Conrad, 84, of Cleveland, Ohio and formerly of Eagle Bend, were held on November 6 at the Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. Jean passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2011.
Jean grew up in Eagle Bend, where her father was the town doctor. She graduated from Eagle Bend High School in 1945.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Elton H. Smith; and a son.
She is survived by her husband Robert; four daugthers; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Interment was held at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Eugene Motzko

Funeral services for Eugene “Cave” Motzko, 52, of Clarissa, will be held on Friday, November 25, at 11 a.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Clarissa with Fr. Peter VanderWeyst officiating. Friends may begin calling at 9 a.m., at the church on the day of the funeral. Eugene passed away suddenly after several prolonged illnesses on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at the Centra Care Health System in Long Prairie.
Gene was born on December 14, 1958, in Browerville to Herbert and Selmona (Hedlund) Motzko. On April 27, 1996, he married Regina Bleess in Crookston. He worked for Jennie O’s, Zinter Potato Farms and at the Long Prairie Packing Plant for many years. He enjoyed antiquing, traveling, flea markets, rock collecting and making ice fishing decoys as well as tipping a few with friends. For many years Gene enjoyed selling items at hunting and fishing shows. Starting at an early age Gene’s favorite past times were fishing, hunting whitetail deer, bear and moose until the last days of his life.
He was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Clarissa, a past member of the NRA, and a past Union Steward at the Long Prairie Packing Plant.
Gene is survived by his wife Regina of Clarissa; brother Michael Motzko of Browerville; and many other relatives and friends.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents; several aunts, uncles and cousins; mother and father in-law, Maurine and Francis Bleess; two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law. He is also preceded in death by many deer, bear, fish and fowl.

Robert Thiel

Funeral services for Robert Royce Thiel, 85, of Staples, were held on Monday, November 28, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Staples with Pastor Robin Collins and Pastor Al Jeske presiding. Robert passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 at the Lakewood Health System Care Center in Staples.
Robert was born on June 2, 1926 to Otto and Frieda (Pflueger) Thiel in Bertha. He was raised on the family farm and attended the Lone Birch School. He graduated from Staples High School in 1944. He married Donna Dubbels on July 30, 1948. Their union was blessed with five children. He continued as a proud dairy farmer on the family farm, as well as driving milk truck for the Bertha Co-Op Creamery, and later also worked as a seed corn dealer for DeKalb.
Robert was baptized into the Christian faith at the Moran-Germania Methodist Church and later confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Staples. He was a church leader at Trinity Lutheran Church and served many terms as president, vice president and trustee of the congregation. He was a member of the men’s dartball league. In retirement, he was an avid woodworker, building furniture and toys for his grandchildren and neighborhood kids.
Robert will be greeted in heaven by his son, Dr. Terrance Thiel; parents Otto and Frieda; brother Gerald; and twin sister Roberta.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Donna; children Lynnell Thiel of St. Paul, R. Brad (Susan) of Lake Elmo, LeeAnn (Jeffrey) Thimell of Golden Valley and Ryan (Carolyn Petrie) of Minneapolis; brothers Orville of Wheaton and Joyce of Staples; grandchildren Heidi Boster, Paul Williamson, T.J. Thiel, Sarai Sharkey, Lauren Beitler, Zoe Thiel, Tristan Thiel, Cameron Beitler, Stephen Thimell, Salina Thimell, Griffin Thiel and Rowan Thiel; great-grandchildren Brandon and Matthew Boster; and many other family and friends.
He is remembered for a life lived honestly and decently. He was a loyal lifelong friend to many and a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was hard-working in all of his pursuits and generous and helpful to his neighbors. Although he had a quiet, stoic demeanor, he had a dry sense of humor and a gentle sense of fun that was enjoyed by everyone who knew him. He was steadfast in his faith. He was accepting of all and his steadiness and trustworthiness made him a pillar of his community. He will be missed.
Pallbearers were his grandchildren.
Interment was in the Moran-Germania Cemetery at rural Staples.