Gordon “Gordy” Prochaska, age 71, of Montgomery/ Florence, AZ., passed away on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at his home in AZ. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 27 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 28 at 11 a.m. at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with visitation from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the church with Father George Grafsky officiating. Interment will be held in St. Scholastica Cemetery in Heidelberg at a later date.

The Elko New Market City Council will hold a special meeting tonight (Thursday) at 5 p.m.
The council will consider a request from the DNR (Department of Natural Resources) for a 30-day extension on the possible need for an EAW (Environmental Assessment Worksheet) regarding the proposal from Niagara Bottling for a water bottling plant in the city’s industrial park.
For more see the Jan. 26 print edition of The New Prague Times.

As they begin their search to replace retiring Superintendent Tim Dittberner, New Prague School Board members want to know what qualities people believe the district’s next district leader ought to possess. The district has published an online survey it hopes residents and community members will complete by Wednesday, Jan. 25. The results of the survey will help create a profile the district’s consultant, South Central Services Cooperative, can use when reviewing applicants for the job. The superintendent profile will be presented at a special school board meeting Jan. 30.

Kenneth John Goettl, age 90, of Montgomery, passed away on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at his home. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 18 from 3:30pm-8pm with KC Rosary in the evening at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, January 19 at 10:30am at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Father Tom Niehaus and Father George Grafsky officiating. Military Honors will be provided by the Montgomery area Honor Guard.

Carol (McCollum) Deutsch, age 71, of Belle Plaine, MN, passed away on December 16, 2022.
A Christian Funeral will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Jordan at 11:00AM on January 21st with Pastor Jeremy Glowicki presiding. Visitation prior to services from 10:00 – 11:00 AM.
Following the Christian Funeral, Carol will be laid to rest at Spirit Hill Cemetery, Jordan, MN.

Sheldon “Shel” Sindelar, age 93, of Prior Lake, MN, passed peacefully on January 13, 2023. A Celebration of Life Service will be on Monday, January 23, at 11 a.m., with visitation from 10-10:45 a.m., both at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Prior Lake. Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Memorials preferred and distributed in Shel’s memory, by the family. 

Marian Rose (Flicek) Bailey, age 93, of Nerstrand, died on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at home surrounded by her family.
 Funeral services will be held at Nerstrand United Methodist Church on Monday, January 16, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. with the Reverend Gary Liker, officiating. Interment will follow at Methodist Memorial Knoll, rural Nerstrand.
 Visitation will be at Boldt Funeral Home in Faribault on Sunday, January 15, 2023, from 2 to 5 p.m. and also at the church for one hour prior to the service on Monday.

Jane Ann Johnson Hines. Born February 10, 1938 to Norman and Charlene Johnson in Madison, South Dakota. Jane died of causes related to dementia on January 12, 2023 at The Lutheran Home in Belle Plaine, Minnesota in the arms of family.
Jane was pre-deceased by her parents, brother Norman Johnson, twin sister, Joan Lervaag, and her youngest daughter, Jill M. Roiger Hines.

Marian Rud, age 87, of Bloomington, MN, passed away peacefully on January 9, 2023 at the Presbyterian Home of Bloomington. She was born March 31st, 1935 to Wencel and Bessie Pexa and grew up on farms near St. Patrick, Mn. She was wed to Don Rud on August 3, 1957 and they were married for more than 63 years until his death in 2021. They moved to Bloomington in 1960 and raised their four boys there.

Alice Marie Zika, age 89, of Montgomery, passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 14 from 9 am-11 am at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Montgomery with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11 am. with Father Tom Niehaus officiating. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery in Montgomery.

David Paul Kamis, 85, of Dundas passed away on Monday, January 9, 2023, at his home surrounded by his loving family. 
He was born in New Prague, Minnesota, the son of Adolph and Josephine (Vochoska).  He grew up in New Prague where he attended New Prague High School.  After graduation, he attended Minnesota State University where he completed a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in art education.

Alice Marie Zika, age 89, of Montgomery passed away January 9, 2023.  
Mass of christian burial will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.  Visitation will be held at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church from 9 am to 11 am on Saturday, January 14, 2023.  Survived by daughter, Deborah, granddaughter, Rochelle, brother Jerry (Lorraine) David of Montgomery, sister, Janet (Jerry) Gish of St. Peter and many other relatives and friends.
A full obituary will be published next week in the Montgomery Messenger and The New Prague Times.

Michael Raymond (Mike) McHugh, 41, Apple Valley, died Tuesday, January 3, 2023 in Burnsville, MN, surrounded by his loved ones.
Mike was born February 1, 1981 in New Prague, MN, to Eileen and Jack McHugh.  He was raised in New Prague, graduating from New Prague High School.  He attended Faribault Technical College.  While still in high school, Mike found what became his career path while working at the local Ace Hardware store, eventually becoming the store manager in Apple Valley.

Jean C.

Eleanor “Ellie” Mankowski was born October 26th 1926, in Bowlus, Minnesota. She attended elementary school in Bowlus, and high school in Holdingford. She married George "Hap" Mankowski on October 30th 1948 in St. Wenceslaus Church, New Prague. She owned and operated the Star Café and Bowling alley with her late husband, in New Prague for five years. Then moved to Shakopee where they started their family. She was a “stay at home” mom until her youngest child entered school. She worked as a cook manager at the Shakopee senior high school from 1965 to 1999.

It started as a quiet evening in Michelle and Alirio Vanyo’s home on James Parkway in Elko New Market, a Christmas Eve filled with peace as decorations were placed on a tree and the family enjoyed time together. The night ended with their home and most of their possessions destroyed or damaged by a fire.
It all changed around 7:25 p.m. A fire started in the garage. Alirio said the fire inspectors told him the fire most likely started in a battery charger. A neighbor told Alirio he saw sparks, probably from the charger, from across the street, just before the fire started.