We are so sorry to announce the loss of our classmate Della Merriett. Della Jane Laylin (Merriett) of New Brighton, Minnesota, formerly of St. Cloud, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, February 19th, 2025 at the age of 80. She was born on October 22, 1944, in St. Peter and grew up in Mountain Lake and South St. Paul, MN. She graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1963.
Della married the love of her life, Larry Laylin, on June 19,1965. They had two children. She was a loving caregiver her entire life. First, as a daycare provider for over 30 years, then owning and operating a Senior Assisted Living home with Larry. Her joy in life was taking care of other's needs and for that she will be warmly remembered.
As a young woman Della excelled at tole painting, arts, and crafts. She also restored antique furniture and collected Hummel figurines. She enjoyed going to sporting events and activities that involved her children and eventually her grandchildren. Della had a lifelong love of animals, especially Golden Retrievers. Her home always had at least one dog. Later in life she enjoyed a good game of Bingo, explaining to all that would listen, she won because she still remembered her letters and numbers.
She was preceded in death by her father, Joseph Merriett; mother, Helen Merriett (Peters); her husband, Larry Laylin; and numerous well-loved dogs and cats. Della is survived by her daughter, Andrea (Greg); son, Cory (Stacy); and five grandchildren, Josh, Amanda, Luc, Casy, and Bode.
The family would like to thank Benedictine Innsbruck for the kindness and compassion they showed Della the past five years. A private funeral will be held later this year in Mountain Lake, MN where Della will be interred.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her honor to Benedictine Innsbruck, 1101 Black Oak Dr, New Brighton, MN 55112.
Powers, William (Bill) passed away peacefully on January 30, 2025, on his 80th birthday. Bill graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1963. He joined the Army in the summer of ’63 and served as a communications Adviser in Vietnam. Bill completed his service in Alaska and called Talkeetna his home for sixty years. Bill was the maintenance manager of the Talkeetna Airport, and the volunteer fire chief of the Talkeetna fire department. Bill is preceded in death by his wife of forty-nine years, Sonja; his sister Dorie Eikos; and brother Pat. He is survived by siblings Rita Fischer, Mary (Jerry) Hahn, Tom (LaVonne), and Rich (Terri); his wife Deb; his children Doug, Leah, and Joe; as well as five stepchildren, Carey, William, Christoper, Craig and Rebecka; 22 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren; and, Bill’s lifelong friend John McArdell.
Published in St. Paul Pioneer Press on February 23, 2025
Notification Courtesy of Kathy Chalupa Whitson
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Classmate Obituary
Linda Aszmann Reid
1945–2025
We are sorry to announce the passing of our classmate Linda Aszmann Reid on February 11, 2025 of cancer. There has been no official notice published yet but a funeral service has been set at St. Thomas Beckett Catholic Church, 4455 S Robert Trail, Eagan, MN 55123, March 6th at 11:00 a.m. with visitation one hour before.
Information courtesy of Helen Avenriep Bohrer
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'63 Lunch Bunch
December, 2024
Front, center: Linda Mahler Metzen, around the table on left: Lois Albu Larson, Nancy Nygren Wallace, Geri Shank Lynch, Bev Preble Mamer, Joan Schult Seaton, Darla Smolik Andrews, Kathy Manley Simpson, Helen Avenriep Bohrer, Chris Mielke Johnson* and Bobbi Bentz Hansch.
Courtesy of Helen Avenriep Bohrer & Jane Burton Letson
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Late Notice Classmate Obituary
Wesley Topness
1945–2022
Our classmate Wesley Clarence Topness died on October 17, 2022. He was born October 10, 1945 to Joyce Cohoes Topness and Elmer Topness. He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert George Topness. Wesley was interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on June, 30, 2023, having served in the US Navy during the Vietnam era with the rank of DK2. Arrangements were by Kandt Tetrick funeral home in SSP.
Courtesy Jane Burton Letson and Renée Werner Ponto
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Classmate Obituary
Sue Atchison Berry
1945 – 2024
We are so very sorry to report the loss of our classmate, Susan Atchison Berry
Susan “Sue” Atchison-Berry, 79, of Bartlesville passed away on Monday, November 11th, 2024 in Tulsa. Sue was born on September 6th, 1945, to Fred Atchison and Josephine “Miller” Atchison in St. Paul, Minnesota. Sue was married to Joseph Neal Berry on August 6, 1992, in Spearfish, South Dakota. Sue received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education, and her first teaching job was in a two room school house on the prairie of South Dakota. She later found her true teaching passion, teaching 8th grade History in Bartlesville, Ok. She loved her students and she loved her peers. She was once nominated for Teacher of the Year. In her free time, she enjoyed running around town with her friends, reading, watching the Vikings play football but she truly cherished spending time with her family, especially her grandkids.
Sue was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Berry, her parents Fred and Josephine Atchison and her brother, David Atchison.
She is survived by her three children, Matt Kirschbaum, Marnie Loftus and her husband Brad Loftus, Heather Karr and her husband Jeremiah Karr, and 4 grandchildren, Christian and Chloe Karr, and Hannah and Libby Loftus.
A Celebration of Life will be held 10 a.m. on Monday, November 25th, 2024, at the Mowery Funeral Service Chapel in Owasso.
We have no current address for sympathy cards. Will update ASAP
Courtesy of Kathy Chalupa Whitson
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Late Notice Classmate Obituary
Sam J. Cotosman
1944 – 2017
We are sorry to announce the death of classmate, Sam J. Cotosman in 2017, in Thornton, CO, courtesy of Jane Letson via a message from a SSPHS schoolmate, Vicki Albu. The Funeral Home listing does not have an obituary posted, just a simple announcement but Vicki was kind enough to leave a message on the site which includes a response from Sam in 2013 regarding his ancestry.
Vicki Albu Comment
05/22/2017
I send my condolences to the family and friends of Sam Cotosman, a man I never met but I talked to him by phone and email while researching Romanian family history. Here is a letter he wrote in 2013 which you might enjoy.
"I have reviewed and enjoyed your paper "A Thousand Dollars and Home Again? " The facts brought forth by the paper were mirror images of the culture I witnessed through conversations and experiences with my grandmothers. I grew up in South St Paul as a second generation Minnesotan. I am a one hundred percent Romanian as each of my parents were one hundred percent Romanian. My grandparents on my mothers side (Sarafolean) migrated to the US around 1907- 1908 and my father's dad (Cotosman) arrived around the same time span. Subsequently, my father's dad went back to Romania to grab my grandma (Elizabeth Funari) in 1912 so he could marry her. As I grew up, my family as members participated with St Stefan's Romanian church. I was Elia Motu's altar boy and helper for approximately 10 years during the 50s and early 60s. Both of my grandfathers worked at Swift and Company. My mother's father also owned a small farm which was attended by the children and my grandma while he worked at the meatpacking plant. I have stories about immigrant life and culture. I have a lot of old pictures I have in a 100 year old steamer trunk but have not fully inventoried them. They belonged to my grandparents and we handed down to me as a descendant. Some of the pictures feature funerals or church socials which was a way to meet and see acquaintances and bid farewell to the deceased. I have heard of the Albu family name associated with the Romanian community but cannot connect. " [Sam Cotosman]
May he rest in peace. - Vicki Albu, Romanian Genealogy Society, South St. Paul, MN
We are so verry sorry to report the loss of our classmate, Kathy Bauch Johnson Smith, on Friday, November 10, 2023, Kathy was living in a Memory Care Home in Alexandria, MN. Cause of death was Alzheimer's Disease. Full notice has now been posted. Services will be held on December 30, 2023. For details use the link below. She was preceded in death by her second husband, Ken Smith and her son, Troy Johnson; survived by her son Todd Johnson and many extended family members.
Members of Kathy’s family have seen the many kind comments posted on our memorial page in her honor and they have asked us to re-enter those comments on her obituary Guest Book so the whole family can see them. I just added mine and it is easy to duplicate your message if you go back to her “In Memory” listing and copy your entry, then come back to this Home Page and use the funeral home link, scroll down to Guest Book and paste your comment there. Of course you could just write a new one if you prefer. They are also asking for any pictures you wish to share. Another nice feature of that site is that sympathy cards are available to purchase through that system and they take care of mailing them to the family. Also you may address notes to Kathy’s son at:
Todd Johnson 11142 Co. Rd. 94PO Box 28Holmes City, MN 56341
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Congratulations to Linda Anderson Schueler
on her recent marriage to LeRoy Johnson
in Rochester Minnesota.
September 30, 2023
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The photos of the 60th Reunion
on September 14, 2023
are now posted. See "60th Reunion"
on top menu bar.
Check back for additional
IDs and corrections
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Late Notice Classmate Obituary
Jeri Beihl Noonan
1945–2022
We have received notice from her husband, Dennis, that our classmate Jeri Beihl Noonan died on March 5, 2022. We have no formal obituary but Dennis Noonan reported March 7, 2022, on Facebook:
To our friends and family, there is no easy way to do this, and I apologize for doing it online instead of in person to each of you, but it is what it is.
We lost Jeri on Saturday afternoon. She became very ill, and had to be admitted to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where she passed. There won't be a service.
Jeri and her husband lived in Banner Elk, North Carolina. She listed on her Facebook Profile that her From location was Saint Joseph, MO, rather than South St. Paul, MN, so perhaps she was a transfer student to SSPHS? Hopefully, some classmates can fill in some details as comments on the "In Memory" section of this site.
Rest in Peace, Jeri.
"Current" photo posted on Facebook, Jan 26, 2012
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SSP Teacher Obit
Jean Helen Kinsey
1926 – 2023
Miss Jean Kinsey, one of our 1950 Roosevelt kindergarten teachers, died July 13, 2023, at age 98. She was born February 26, 1925, never married and taught kindergarten in Central, Roosevelt and Jefferson elementary schools throughout her lifelong career. The recent photo is from a July 2019 lunch date in River Falls, WI. According to Jane Burton Letson:
At this point she was 94 years old, living in her own home, driving and sharp as a tack. She could identify by name all the kids in my sister’s kindergarten photo except for one person. She could remember who was related to who even if the last name was different, i.e. she knew who my cousins were. She was amazing!
The group photo is ca.1950 teaching staff at Roosevelt Elementary plus a PTA Mom or two. Miss Kinsey is 4th from right, standing. She will be remembered and missed by her many, many students and the South St. Paul School district and community. Full obituary link to follow. Add memories and comments to "Under the Clock" feature, top, left-hand corner.
Group photo from The SSP Centennial Book, 1887 – 1987, edited by Lois Glewwe
Closeup provided by Jane Burton Letson
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Classmate Obituary
Roberta Winchell Fisher
1945 – 2023
Roberta “Bobbie” J. Fisher, age 77, of Oakdale and formerly of Newport, passed away with family by her side on Monday, April 3, 2023. Bobbie was a former owner of Fisher Foods in Newport.
She is survived by son, Scott Fisher; daughter, Dawn (Dean) Sagstetter; grandchildren, Courtney (Eric) Holmstrom, Cara (John) Greavu, and Jack Fisher; great-grandchildren, Leighton and Easton Holmstrom; sister, Pat Kubash; sister-in-law Diane (Steve) Peterson; and many loving nieces and nephews..
She was proceeded in death by husband, Jack Fisher; her parents; and sister, Janet Duggan.
A Memorial Mass will be held Monday, April 17, 2023, at 11AM at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church (920 Holley Ave, St. Paul Park, MN) with visitation beginning at 9AM. Bobbie will be laid to rest at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish Cemetery. Published by Kok Funeral Home & Cremation Service - Cottage Grove on Apr 4, 2023 Full notice at: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/roberta-bobbie-fisher-obituary?id=51558009
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Facebook Users:
Conversations of History in South St. Paul
Feeling nostalgic about your hometown? If you haven't found this place yet, check it out!
Be sure to allow about 2 hours. You'll get hooked!
2/23/15: We recently received this compliment about the Facebook site from a staff member of the Minnesota History Society:
Nicole Delfino Jansen And I should also note, MHS is currently working on an exhibit about Suburbia (to open this fall) and South St. Paul is one of the cities they are focusing on. We have great researchers - I turned their attention to this FB site (and Lois [Glewwe]) and I don't mind divulging that they LOVE it and have expressed what a valuable and unique resource it is. They say a number of communities have pages for history, but they have never seen one so active and with so much resource material. So many great contributors. I am not an old-timer in SSP, but wow - I thoroughly enjoy what all of you put into it!!!
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PLEASE NOTE!
IS YOUR STREET ADDRESS SHOWING?
All known classmate addresses have now been added to this site. If your address is showing under "Classmate Profiles" it is because you added it yourself and opted to let us see it. If you are new to the site, please check "Edit Profile" to see whether we have your address listed correctly.
PLEASE DO NOT DELETE YOUR ADDRESS
This site was meant to be a repository for classmates' records and will be our one-stop source for future reunion planning. But YOU have the option of allowing others to see only what you want them to see.
IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR ADDRESS (OR OTHER INFORMATION) TO BE VISIBLE TO CLASSMATES:
Go to "Edit Profile" (on the left hand margin) and scroll to the bottom of your profile. Check the box that hides your address and any other information you wish to be private. To verify this, on the Home Page, select "Classmate Profiles" up on the top border. Then select your name to see what everyone else sees.
If you have questions about privacy, feel free to use the "Contact Us" option or email me at SReppe@aol.com.
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OUR YEARBOOK ON THE WEB
If you haven't had the fun of seeing our very own yearbook on the Web, check this out:
Would you have ever imagined something amazing like this back in 1963? I see they're having a "sale" and the regular price of $99.99 is 20% off plus free shipping for a limited time! Wowee! If you don't have your own copy handy, take a stroll down memory lane...online! Still boggles the mind, doesn't it?
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