Delores “Dee” Balfe, 82, of Waterville, died on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, at Benedictine Living Community in St. Peter. Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 26 from 9 to 11 a.m. at St. Canice Catholic Church in Kilkenny. Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11 a.m. Private interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Kilkenny.

Berneda “Neda” (Thompson) Becker, age 91, of Elysian, formerly Minnesota Lake, MN, died Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at the Mapleton Community Home. Funeral Services will be private with family. Public visitation will be Wednesday, September 23, 2020 from 4-7 PM at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells, MN. Interment will be in Danville Township Cemetery, rural Blue Earth Co., MN. Face masks must be worn and social distancing will be observed at the funeral home. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.brussheitner.com

Rose Hollermann, daughter of John and Michele Collerman of Elysian, is currently playing wheelchair basketball in a men’s Champions League in Spain for the second year.
Hollermann recently graduated from the University of Texas, Arlington with a degree in Elementary Education Below are some of her thoughts from an interview on playing with the BSR Econy Gran Canaria team.

Community members gathered under gray skies Saturday morning, September 12, to dedicate the new Veterans Memorial in Waterville.
Pastor David Mumme welcomed everyone to the ceremony and led the group in prayer.
Le Sueur County Veterans Service Officer Mark Roemhildt addressed the crowd, praising the community for working together to raise more than $70,000 and build a beautiful and long-lasting memorial for all veterans, including those whose names appear on the 192 pavers that line the memorial. (More pavers are available for purchase.)

The Morrristown City Council evaluated City Clerk Sheri Gregor during the council’s September 8 regular meeting.
Gregor, who has been the city’s clerk since October 2015, chose to have the evaluation open to the public. A 3 to 2 vote saved her from termination.
City Administrator Michael Muller presented the council with concerns regarding Gregor’s performance. The concerns include: insubordination, disorganization, being unprofessional, failing to apply for a grant, and not providing public data to a citizen after it was requested, which is required by law.

More than five dozen luminary bags were decorated and recognized those who have passed, those who are currently fighting cancer, and those that have beat the disease during the Relay for Life held Saturday night in Waterville at The Village.

A public visitation for John and Audree Wagner was from 12:00PM – 2:00PM on Sunday, September 20, 2020 at Salem Lutheran Church – Albert Lea. Pastor Erica Cunningham officiated. The memorial service was private. Burial was also be private. Their memorial service was also livestreamed on the Bonnerup website.  To view the livestream, simply go to www.bonnerupfuneralservice.com, go to their obituary pages, and click the livestream link below the wording of the obituary.

Shelley Rae Geyer, age 53 of Waterville died on Friday, September 11, 2020 at her home.

John Wagner, 88, died Monday, September 14, 2020 at Prairie Senior Cottages. Born Feb. 13, 1932 – died  September 14, 2020 in Albert Lea, MN
Arrangements by Bonnerup Funeral Service.

Audree (Schultz) Wagner,  89,  died Sunday, September 13, 2020 at Prairie Senior Cottages. Born Aug. 27, 1931 - died September 13, 2020 in Albert Lea, MN.
Arrangements by Bonnerup Funeral Service.

UPDATED to include information on Celebration of Life
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, September 27 for Carol Freid, who passed away February 28, 2020. A visitation will be held at the Montgomery American Legion from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. A service will be held at 3 p.m. Lunch will follow.

UPDATED to include information on Celebration of Life
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, September 27 for Carol Freid, who passed away February 28, 2020. A visitation will be held at the Montgomery American Legion from 2 p.m. until 3 p.m. A service will be held at 3 p.m. Lunch will follow.

A public hearing was held Tuesday, Sept. 1 at the Le Sueur County Board Room to make a decision regarding the auditor/treasurer position.
The board notified the public of their intent to make this position an appointed position last month.
After publishing their intent in the legal county newspaper, a public hearing needed to be held.
There were neither written comments nor public comment during the meeting.
The board approved the resolution which will make the county auditor/ treasurer position an appointed position. This will take effect Oct. 2, 2020.

Delores Louise Gregor, age 91 of Waterville, died on Friday, April 24, 2020 at Foxdale in Waseca.

Bernard Royal Schwanke, age 93 of Morristown, passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at Traditions of Waterville. 
Bernard was born in Faribault, Minnesota on May 16, 1927 to Royal and Larratta (Korsch).  He was raised on a farm in Iosca Township south of Waterville, Minnesota.  Bernard married Margaret (Betty) Morris on October 10, 1953 at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Waterville.  Bernard and Betty lived their entire lives in the Waterville and Morristown area.

Reprinted with permission from Pine Knot LifeEnterprise News
The nation marked 100 years this week since women finally won the suffrage battle. A key player in getting women the right to vote hailed from Cloquet, Anna Dickie Olesen.
She was the first female nominee of a major party for the U.S. Senate and was a celebrated orator and passionate social reformer who became one of the most prominent Democratic women of the early 20th century.