727th Railway Operating Battalion Harry George Oelrich obit

Jan. 15--The Bemidji Pioneer, Minn., Obituaries

Harry George Oelrich, 92, of Bemidji, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at Havenwood Care
Center in Bemidji.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church in
Bemidji with the Rev. Matthew Wurm officiating. A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m.
Friday at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home with a prayer service following the visitation.
Family will greet friends one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in
Greenwood Cemetery in Bemidji. Military honors will be provided by Harold
Baggenstoss VFW Post 1260.

Pallbearers will be Mike Oelrich, Paul Oelrich, Ron Oelrich Jr., Jason Oelrich,
Christopher Oelrich and Culley Sebo.

He was born Nov. 1, 1916, to Herman and Rose Oelrich in rural Foley, Minn., in Benton
County. At the age of 4, he moved with his parents to Guthrie. He attended school in
Guthrie and worked with the railroad in the Guthrie area. On Jan. 29, 1942, he was
drafted into the U.S. Army. He served almost four years in the World War II European
Theater, 727th Railway Operating Battalion, which was under Eisenhower's command.
When in France and Germany, he was under Gen. George S. Patton's command. On Aug.
31, 1945, he arrived in Miami, Fla. He was honorably discharged Sept. 7, 1945, at Camp
McCoy, Wis., with the rank of staff sergeant technician.

After arriving home, he was a substitute driver for a mail route in Guthrie. He married
Josephine Wolf at Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji Feb. 14, 1946. He was employed
by a wholesale house, Nash Finch Co., for a couple of years. In 1949, he began
employment with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, where he worked until
his retirement March 1, 1981.

He and his wife operated an antique shop from their home from 1960-2002. He enjoyed
going to auctions and rummage sales. He was a lifelong member of the VFW and was a
member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Bemidji.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years; sons, Dan (Lynn) Oelrich of Goochland, Va.,
Jerry (Michele) Oelrich of Bemidji and Ronald (Debbie) Oelrich of Bemidji; a daughter,
Joan (Mike) Webb of Tuckasegee, N.C; 11 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren; 12
great-grandchildren; six stepgreat-grandchildren; a sister-in-law; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, James, Clifford, Walter and Erwin;
and a premature little sister.

Online guestbook at www.olsonschwartzfuneralhome.com.

Gerald "Jerry" Ervin Magoon, 71, of Blackduck, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at
MeritCare Hospital in South Fargo, N.D.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church in Blackduck
with the Rev. Dan Heath officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday at
Cease Family Funeral Home in Blackduck, with a prayer service at 7 p.m., and one hour
prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery in Blackduck.

He was born July 7, 1937, to Ervin and Naomi (Olson) Magoon in Bemidji. He attended
Lincoln Elementary School and Bemidji High School. He went to work at Skimes Locker
Plant in Nymore in 1953. He worked for Red Owl Stores from 1955-1965. He also
worked in Hibbing, Minn., Duluth, Minn., Wadena, Minn., and Bemidji and worked as a
relief meat manager for many other Red Owl Stores.

He married Alice Pederson in 1959 in Fosston and they had three children together. In
1965, the family moved to Kelso, Wash., where he worked for Super Valu Stores in
Longview, Kelso and Woodland, Wash., and Clatskanie, Ore. In 1973, the family moved
to Blackduck and bought the Summit Mercantile from Irvin and Chub Swanson. In 1989,
they built Jerry's IGA on U.S. Highway 71. He continued to operate the store until July
2001, when he sold the store to his son, Scott, and partner, Charlie Anderson.

He was a member of AAD Shrine Club of Duluth, Shrines of North America, Bemidji
Lodge 233, and a charter member of the Blackduck Lions Club. He enjoyed being retired,
spending time with family and friends, grouse and duck hunting, fishing, yard work and
mowing his lawn. He also was a huge fan of Elvis Presley and has many Elvis
collectables.

He is survived by his wife; children, Sherry (Mike) Mistic of Nebish, Minn., Scott
(Jackie) Magoon of Blackduck and Tracy (Herman) Dudley of Bemidji; six
grandchildren; a great-grandson; his mother, Naomi Colson of Bemidji; brothers, Jim
(Delores) Magoon of Kelso, Dale (Mary) Magoon of Bemidji and Ronald Magoon of
Hastings, Minn.; sisters, Judy (David) Hoem of Bemidji, Joy (Chuck) Heller of Bemidji,
Sharon (Lyle) Olson, Independence, Minn., Gail (Les) Mistic of Bemidji, Theresa (Mike)
McKee of Bemidji and Cindy (Roland) Lundmark of Shevlin.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ervin and his grandparents.

Messages of condolence may be sent at ceasefuneralhome.com.

Anna J. Wold, 95, of Bemidji, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at Havenwood Care Center in
Bemidji.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at New Salem Lutheran Church in
Turtle River with the Rev. Bill Beyer officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to
the service at the church. Burial will be in Pine Ridge Cemetery in Turtle River in the
spring under the direction of Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji.
Honorary pallbearers will be her nephews and nieces, John (Edie) Fay, Marie (Wayne)
Warwas, Frances Wold, Kenneth (Bonnie) Wold, David (Vianne) Wold and James
(Roberta) Wold and their families.

She was born April 16, 1913, to Norwegian immigrants John and Marie (Jordalen) Wold
in Northome. As an infant, she moved with her family to a farm in the Turtle River area.
Her father died when she was 14 years old, leaving the responsibility of managing the
farm to her, her siblings and her mother. Her older sister Christina died in 1935, leaving
two young children. She and her mother and brother took the children into their home and
raised them. She was a nurturing person, devoting much of her life to the care of others.
She took care of her mother, who had suffered several strokes, until her death. She also
worked for many years in the Twin Cities and Roseau areas, caring for several children
and the elderly.

She enjoyed being with children. She enjoyed baking and was known for her angel food
cakes. She also made and repaired several pieces of furniture on the farm. Although she
lived the latter part of her life at Northland Apartments in Bemidji, her heart was always
with the Turtle River area and her home church, New Salem Lutheran. She received
excellent care while a resident at Havenwood Care Center.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Christina and brothers, Swan and
Jon.

Memorials can be directed to New Salem Lutheran Church in Turtle River.

Phyllis Coultrup, 93, of Fosston, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at First Care Nursing
Home in Fosston.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in
Bagley. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the services at the hall. Burial will be in
Bagley City Cemetery in Bagley.

Cease Family Funeral Home of Bagley assisted the family with arrangements.

She was born Oct. 4, 1915, to Daniel F. and Edith (Williams) Davis in Cedar Rapids,
Iowa. She moved to Beltrami, Minn.. with her family and attended school there. She
married Vernon Coultrup March 28, 1936, in Warbonsie Park, Iowa. They lived in
Crookston, Orange County, Calif., and Colorado and moved to Fosston in 1969. They
lived in Polson, Mont., and moved back to Fosston in 1988. Her husband died in 1993.
She resided at the First Care Nursing Home since August 2008. She was a devoted
member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses of Bagley.

She is survived by her daughter, Carole Lynn (Charles) Anderson of Fosston; sisters,
Betty Field of Blackduck and Evelyn Feurbarker of LaJunta, Colo.; four grandchildren
and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; a brother, Bud Hayes, and a
grandson.

Messages of condolence may be sent at ceasefuneralhome.com.

Lois Munnell, 48, of Fargo, N.D., formerly of Cass Lake, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009,
at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo.

Arrangements are pending with Cease Family Funeral Home of Bemidji.