Obituaries

Lois Price Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:16am

LOIS PRICE, 97, of Crosby, passed away at her home on Oct. 23, 2026. A Memorial Service is being planned. A full obit will follow. Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby. www.koopfuneralhome.com

John Louis Sommers Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:16am

JOHN LOUIS SOMMERS was born on Oct 10, 1983 to John “Jack” MacFarlane and Kathlene Sommers.  John grew up in Aitkin starting in 1987. He spent many hours helping his dad in the garage learning about motors and vehicles growing up.  His interests were cars, snowmobiles, racing and motorcycles. He started his business, Johnny’s Garage, 2015 and spent countless hours building it to what it is today with the help and support of many.

Sharon Faye Holtzleicer Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:15am

SHARON FAYE HOLTZLEICER, 80, of Cuyuna, passed away on Oct. 21, 2026 at Lyngblomsten Care Center in St. Paul. She was born on Dec. 11, 1945 in Hibbing to Raymond and Muriel (Torgerson) Craft.  Sharon married Larry Holtzleicer on April 20, 1968 in Catasauqua, PA. She was a retired Nursing Service Administrator at the Cuyuna Regional Medical Center with 40 years of service. She was very active with the Relay for Life. Preceding her in death are her parents; her husband Larry in 2013 and one sister, Darlyne Larson.

Raymond Peterson Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:14am

RAYMOND PETERSON, 93, of Crosby, passed away on Oct. 20, 2026 at Heartwood Care Center in Crosby. He was born Nov. 13, 1932 in Crosby to Cylde and Edna (Corwin) Peterson. He served in the 115th Transportation Truck Company in 1951 at Camp McCoy, WI. After serving, he married Mary LaVerne Bush on June 28, 1953.  They spent their time together hunting, fishing, scuba diving and flying R.C. Airplanes.  He was a retired Maintenance Supervisor with Northwest/ Potlatch Paper in Brainerd with 14 years of service and 22 years with Champion Paper in Sartell.

Carol Loine Brezina Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:13am

CAROL LORINE BREZINA, 82, passed away Oct. 7, 2026 at the Sedona Winds Assisted Living in Sedona, AZ. She was born Aug. 7, 1944, to Clara Armbrust and Leslie Johnson in Crosby. She married Wayne Theodore Brezina on Dec. 10, 1966 in Crosby. She enjoyed a career in healthcare, serving in a variety of roles, including hospital nursing and many years in a urology practice.

Alice Floy Hite Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/27/2026 - 10:12am

ALICE FLOY HITE, 102, of Crosby, formerly of Emily, passed away at the Heartwood Care Center in Crosby on Oct. 22, 2026. She was born on Aug. 18, 1924 in Cuyuna to John and Pearl (Sanderson) Johnson. She was a member of the Emily United Methodist Church.  In her younger years, she was employed with the Emily School working as a cook and playground aid.  She had a love for quilting, wood crafting, painting, gardening and baking.  She believed she lived to be 102 because she loved burnt toast and black coffee.

Louis Edward Valiquet Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/20/2026 - 11:08am

LOUIS EDWARD VALIQUET, 86, of Crosby, passed away on Sept. 27, 2026. He was born in Crosby on June 14, 1940 to Napoleon “Bones” and Wanda (Evans) Valiquet.  Louie married Penny Abbott on Aug. 1, 1964 in Crosby. Louie and Penny bought the Crosby Dairy Queen on Jan.20, 1975.  They owned and operated at this location for over 30 years.

Betty Lou Brager Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/20/2026 - 11:07am

BETTY LOU BRAGER, 96 of Crosby, passed away on Aug. 31, 2026 at Heartwood Care Center in Crosby. She was born on June 12, 1930 in Brainerd to Elmer and Mabel (Peterson) Anderson.  She was united in marriage to Albert “Bud” Brager on July 31, 1949, in Crosby.  She was a member of the Cuyuna Lakes Community Church (Assembly of God) in Crosby.

Judith Ann Karnowski Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/20/2026 - 11:06am

JUDITH "JUDY" ANN (ORESKOVICH) KARNOWSKI, born Nov. 23, 1938, passed away on Sept. 17, 2026, surrounded by her family in their New Brighton home where she and her husband David Herman Karnowski raised their six children for the last 58 years. Judy was born in Crosby on Nov. 23, 1938, to Victor and Charline Oreskovich. She was the eldest of her six siblings: Marlys, Mardell, Sandy, Chuck, Kim and Victor. On Feb. 16, 1957, she married the love of her life, David, from Deerwood,  and they started their family.

John Thomas Rathman Obit

Published by admin on Tue, 10/13/2026 - 10:44am

JOHN THOMAS RATHMAN passed away on Oct. 6, 2026. Born to Jerome and Dora Rathman in Springfield, MN. He graduated from Comfrey High School. Married Sharon Schaal in 1970, they moved to the Brainerd Lakes area in 1975, where he was a realtor and appraiser. He enjoyed golfing and spending time with family, and wintering in Mission, TX. He is survived by his wife Sharon of 56 years, step-daughter Tari, and son-in-law Roger Avery.