Obituaries for May 29, 2002

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Stella Mary Pyan, 96

Stella Mary Pyan, 96, of Sleepy Eye, died Monday, May 27, 2002, at Sleepy Eye Care Center, Sleepy Eye.

She was born Nov. 15, 1905, in Edgar, Wis., to Peter and Mary (Gertchen) Wagner. She grew up in Edgar, Wis. where she graduated from high school.

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On Oct. 10, 1924, she married Fred Pyan in Edgar, Wis.

The couple moved to Sleepy Eye in 1942 where Stella worked for St. Mary's School as a cook with the hot lunch program for over 20 years. Fred died in 1988.

Stella was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye, the Christian Mothers and the Sleepy Eye Study Club.

She enjoyed playing cards and crocheting.

Survivors include son, Douglas (Marian) Pyan, St. Peter; daughter, Sally Ann (Thomas) Forstner, Austin; daughter-in-law, Karen Pyan, Sleepy Eye; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Fred; son, Rolland; four sisters; two brothers.

Visitation: 5 to 8 p.m., Thursday, May 30, 2002, with a 5 p.m. Christian Mothers Rosary and a 7 p.m. Parish Service and on Friday from 7:30 to 10 a.m. at the funeral home.

Service: 11 a.m., Friday, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye with Father Ed Ardolf officiating. Casket bearers will be Jeffrey Pyan, Steven Pyan, Daniel Pyan, Sanford Forstner, Blaine Pyan, Brad Pyan, Boyd Pyan and Michael Pyan.

Interment: St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, Sleepy Eye.

Funeral Home: Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye.

Ruby F. Wells-Kulas, 78

Ruby F. Wells-Kulas, 78, of Austin, died Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2002, in McAllen, Texas.

She was born March 27, 1923, in Blue Earth, to Andrew Olson and Hilda Carlson.

She graduated from Austin High School.

After two years of employment with Northwestern Bell, she enlisted in the WAVES, attending boot camp at Hunter College in New York and radio training in Oxford, Ohio. She was stationed in Miami, Fla. with the Seventh Naval Unit Radio Communications HQ until December 1945.

She married Louis Graff in 1947. He died in 1953. In 1970, she married Wright Wells. He died in 1977. In 1998, she married Lambert Kulas of Austin.

Ruby was a Red Cross volunteer and a patron and board member of the YWCA where she taught bridge. A disabled veteran, she was a member of DOES, SPAM Post American Legion and Eagles Auxiliary.

Survivors include husband, Lambert Kulas; sons, Duane Graff, Edina; Eric Wells, Minneapolis; one granddaughter.

Visitation: One hour before the service.

Service: 2 p.m. memorial service, Saturday, June 1, 2002, at Worlein Funeral Home with the Rev. Orlin Mandsager officiating.

Interment: Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Dexter.

Funeral Home: Worlein Funeral Home, Austin.