obituaries

GABRIELLA "GAYE" MAERTENS Gabriella "Gaye" Maertens, 80, of Menahga, passed away peacefully at CHI St. Joseph's Health in Park Rapids, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. She was born April 16, 1934 in Chicago, Ill. to Marcel and Zoe Degraer. The family lived in Chicago and then moved to East...

JOHN "RAY" RAYMOND KUMMA 89, of Menahga, formerly of Seattle, Wash., peacefully passed into eternal life Sunday afternoon, July 27, 2014 at the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home in Menahga. Funeral service: 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 4 at the Spruce Grove Apostolic Lutheran Church near Wolf...

JAMES "JIM" NELSON 61, of Park Rapids, passed away peacefully at Essentia Health Fargo, N.D. Wednesday, July 23, 2014. Funeral service: 1 p.m. Friday, Aug 1 at Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids. Visitation: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. prior to the service. Burial: Lake Emma Cemetery....

GABRIELLA "GAYE" MAERTENS 80, of Menahga, passed away peacefully a CHI St Joseph's Health in Park Rapids, Wednesday, July 23, 2014. Funeral arrangements are pending with Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids. For more information call the Jones-Pearson Funeral Home 732-5131....

WILLARD W. HENSEL 84, of rural Nevis, died Saturday, July 26, 2014 at his home. Funeral arrangements are pending at the Cease Family Funeral Home of Nevis. Friends may call 652-3105 for further information. Online condolences may be left at www.ceasefuneralhome.com.

JACK SKAAR 83, of Park Rapids, died Monday, July 21, 2014 at Essentia Health Center in Fargo, N.D. Memorial service: 11 a.m. Friday, July 25 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids. Inurnment: Bethel Lutheran Cemetery rural Park Rapids. Friends may call Cease Family Funeral Home...

DOROTHY (NELSON) MELBY 87, of Little Sand Lake, Park Rapids, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 20, 2014 at the Lynn Care Nursing Home, Front Royal, Va. Funeral service: 3 p.m. Thursday, July 31, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids. Visitation: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday evening,...

MARY J. SCHMITT Mary J. Schmitt, 67, of Nevis, formerly of Mounds View, died Wednesday, July 16, 2014. She was born April 29, 1947. She is survived by her loving husband, Robert Sr.; sons, Robert Jr. (Lisa) and Rich (Amy); grandchildren, Nicole (Kory) Beck, Mallory and Madison Schmitt;...

FRANCIS "FRITZ" CRAIG Francis "Fritz" Craig, 80, a lifetime resident of the Park Rapids area, entered eternity Tuesday, July 15, 2014 surrounded by his loved ones, at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids. Fritz was born July 20, 1933 near Park Rapids, to Asher and Thressa (McGuire)...