Jim Bierman's blog

Donald Rae Ness

Donald Rae Ness, age 80 of Northfield, passed away Friday, May 18, 2012 at his home. He was born November 15, 1931 in Thief River Falls, MN where he spent his childhood and attended school. Following his discharge from the Air Force he began a long career with the U.S. Foreign Service.

He is survived by several cousins and step siblings. Family graveside services will be held near Thief River Falls. Arrangements by the Bierman Funeral Home of Northfield.

William “Bill” Clifford, age 70 of Northfield, passed away peacefully at his home, Monday, May 07, 2012 surrounded by his loving family. Bill lived his life with great enthusiasm and courage despite a long struggle with Multiple Myeloma. Funeral services will be held 11:00 am Friday, May 11th at the First United Church of Christ in Northfield with burial at the Clifford family plot at Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 10th from 4 to 8 pm at the Bierman Funeral Home in Northfield and on Friday one hour prior to the funeral at the church.

Bill, the son of Edwin and Phyllis (Grisim) Clifford, was born on July 11, 1941 in Northfield. Bill’s parents lived on a farm east of Northfield where Bill was raised and helped his father along with his two younger brothers, Dick and Jerry. In the spring of 1955, Bill’s family moved to a farm west of West Concord where he attended high school.

Raymond “Jake” Jacobson, age 91 of Northfield, passed away Wednesday, May 2, 2012 in Northfield following a short illness. He was Professor Emeritus in Art at Carleton College where he taught for many years and local Northfield sculptor.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 am Saturday, May 12th at Carleton College Skinner Memorial Chapel in Northfield with burial at Oaklawn Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday 1 hour prior to Services at the Chapel.

Raymond “Jake” Jacobson is survived by his wife Jeanne; son Bob of Mendocino, CA; daughters Rebecca Heines of Durham, NC, Linda Jacobson and husband Marc Chanliau of Sonoma, CA; grandchildren Jay, Josh, and Brandon Heines, Jessica Singh and husband Virinder, Zachary and Tyler Morrison; and great grandchild Jagger Singh.

A complete obituary will follow.

Arrangements by the Bierman Funeral Home of Northfield.

Daryl Robinson, age 62, of Northfield, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, April 27, 2012 at the Abbott-Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 4th. at 10:00 am at the Bierman Funeral Home in Northfield.  The Northfield Veterans Organization will provide full military honors following the service at the funeral home.  Visitation will be held on Friday from 8:30 am until the hour of the service.

Daryl James Robinson, the son of James Harry and Esther Emily (Stieg) Robinson was born on October 30, 1949 in Faribault.  He grew up in Cannon Falls and graduated from the Cannon Falls High School in 1967.  Daryl served in the Air Force from 1968 until 1972 as an aircraft technician in the United States and Germany.

John Maakestad, age 83 of rural Nerstrand, Professor Emeritus in Art at St. Olaf College where he taught for 37 years, died Tuesday, April 10, 2012 in Little Rock, AR following a brief illness. Funeral Services will be 2:00 pm Saturday, April 21st at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield with a visitation Saturday 1 hour prior to Services at the Church. A reception will follow the Services.

Wallace (Wally) Garlough, age 87, formerly of Bloomington, passed away on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at the Lodge of Natchez in Elko. Funeral services will be 10:00 am Wednesday, March 21st at the Bierman Funeral Home in Northfield with visitation 1 hour prior to the services. Burial 3:30 pm Wednesday at the Itasca Cemetery in Grand Rapids.

Wallace Carton Garlough was born April 28, 1924 in Calumet, MN, the oldest of four sons born to Wallace and Leona (Hauck) Garlough. He was raised in Calumet and graduated from Greenway High School. He then attended Itasca State Junior College where he played on their football team. In 1942 he enlisted in the Navy and served during WWII.

In 1946 he was united in marriage to Faye Pearl Peterson while attending the University of Minnesota where he graduated with a degree in Zoology. He was then recalled into the Navy at the start of the Korean Conflict and was discharged in 1950.

We sadly announce the passing of our father Fred Van Son of Northfield, MN on 20 February 2012. Fred was born 25 March 1923 to Jacoba (van der Weil) and Johannes van Son in de Haarsteeg, The Netherlands.

Frie (as he was known in Holland) spent his formative years on the family farm with his parents and seven siblings. Raising sheep, milking cows, walking to church and bicycling out to the fields in his small hometown filled his early years. When he was about sixteen years old, this pattern was disrupted by WWII. His family lived in a heavily fought over area, so after the war when Europe was still struggling to recover, he decided getting married and moving to the United States would be a good idea.

He met and married Helena van Spijk, a girl from a nearby village. In 1949, after earning a degree in agriculture and chemistry they immigrated to Rice County, MN. Early on he found employment at Andrews Nursery in Faribault.