Obituaries for April 21, 2002

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 20, 2002

Wallace L. Yates, 71

Wallace L. Yates, age 71 of rural Austin died at his home Thursday, April 18, 2002.

He was born August 14, 1930 in Luther, Montana where he grew up and graduated from high school in Roberts, Montana.

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After serving in the Air Force, Wallace married Margaret R. Royce on October 14, 1954 in Belfry, Montana.

He received a Mechanical Engineering Degree from Montana State University and went to work for Martin Lockheed, designing the ejection cockpit.

Moving to Huntsville, Alabama, he worked on the NASA program with Dr. Werner Von Brauns, designing the lunar landing module and the moon rover.

He later worked for Hormel Foods Corporation in Austin and retired December 31, 1992.

He was a member of Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Austin Pilots Association and the Cedar Valley Conservation Club.

He enjoyed his family and placed great value on spending time with them.

He built his own home and enjoyed hunting, fishing, horseback riding while living in Montana and always looked forward to the next year of gopher hunting.

He was a sailing enthusiast and enjoyed flying his own airplane to pancake breakfasts.

He enjoyed reading, planting, growing and grafting fruit trees.

He made deer leather gloves for family and friends and each winter he would sew one leather coat for one different family member.

Wallace is survived by his wife, Margaret R. Royce Yates of Austin; children, James L. (Kathy) Yates of Chinook, Montana; Margaret A. (Michael) Elward of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; Thomas O. Yates of Austin; brothers, Walter Yates of Billings, Montana; Ralph (Dolly) Yates of Frannie, Wyoming; mother and father-in-law, Alice and C. Dale and Royce of Belfry, Montana; four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ellen M. and J. Lee Yates.

Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 21, 2000 and one hour before the service at the funeral home.

Service: 10 a.m., Monday at Worlein Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Orlin Mandsager officiating and military rites by American Legion Post 91.

Memorials: To the Hormel Nature Center and the Bozeman State University Engineering Department.

Funeral Home: Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.

Alice A. Heller, 81

Alice A. Heller, 81, of Austin died Thursday, April 18, 2002 at Prairie Manor Nursing Home in Rochester.

She was born in Westgate, Iowa, on February 23, 1921 to Chris and Lydia (Kressin) Heller.

She was never married and lived most of her life in Austin where she worked at Hormel Foods Corporation for over 40 years.

She was a member of St. John's Lutheran church and a charter member of the Red Womens Chapter of the Isaac Walton League.

She is survived by sister Rosella Marienau, Austin.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and six sisters.

Visitation: 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, April 21, 2000 at the funeral home and one hour before the service at the church.

Service: 1 p.m., Monday at St. John's Lutheran Church with the Rev. William Natzke officiating.

Interment: Grandview Cemetery.

Memorials: To the donors choice.

Funeral Home: Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.

Magdalena M. Wolthoff, 88

Magdalena M. Wolthoff, age 88, formerly of LeRoy died Friday at the Adams Health Care Center in Adams where she had resided for a short time.

She was born July 27, 1913 to Michael Jax and Elizabeth Ulwelling Jax in Johnsburg, Minn.

She attended the Johnsburg Catholic School through the eighth grade.

On May 21, 1946 she was married to Edward Peter Wolthoff in Milwaukee, Wis. and they lived in LeRoy for the next 50 years.

She was an active member of St. Patricks Catholic Church in LeRoy and a member of the LeRoy Senior Citizens Group.

When her health started to decline, she moved to Austin and was a resident of the Adams Health Care Center at time of her death.

She enjoyed cooking, knitting, gardening, quilting and playing cards.

Survivors include daughters, Ruth (Robert) Harris, Austin; Elizabeth (Dennis) Hunter, Woodland, Calif.; brother, Carl Jax of Adams; sister, Josephine Eisterhold, Owatonna; sisters-in-law, Katherine Jax, Austin; Anna Jax, Adams; and one grandson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, brothers Edward, Gregory and Joe Jax, sisters Anna Gilgenbach and Helene Jax, infant sister Irmena and two grandsons.

Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2000 at the funeral home and one hour before the service at the church.

Service: 1:30 p.m., Tuesday at St. Patricks Catholic Church in LeRoy with the Rev. Father Russell Seepaniak officiating.

Interment: St. Patricks Catholic Church Cemetery.

Funeral Home: Hindt-Hutchins Funeral Home, LeRoy.