Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes

12/24/2025

Myrtle Esther Bentley

Myrtle Esther Bentley, age 91, passed away on December 22, 2025, at the Stacyville Community Nursing Home in Stacyville, Iowa. She entered eternal rest with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Following her husband’s death in 2019 and as her health declined, she most recently lived with family, where she was lovingly cared for.

Myrtle was born on January 20, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, to Paul and Sadie Wehlan. She was deeply thankful for her Christian parents, who faithfully taught her about Jesus and her need for Him from an early age. This strong foundation of faith shaped the course of her entire life.

Before marrying J. Grant Bentley in 1964, Myrtle worked for the Rock Island Railroad and pursued her education and musical training at Moody Bible Institute and the Chicago Conservatory of Music. A gifted and accomplished musician, she served as a church organist, composer, and piano teacher, faithfully using her God-given talents in service to the Lord and His church. Music was not only her vocation but also her ministry, one she joyfully carried out for many years in churches across Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Minnesota.

While Myrtle’s musical abilities were remarkable, her most cherished calling was being a mother and a devoted grandmother. Nothing brought her greater joy than her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and speaking to them about Jesus and their need for Him. She found contentment in homemaking, garage-sale’ing, organizing her thrifted treasures, and caring for her pets. She especially delighted in her cats and in feeding the squirrels and birds in her yard.

Myrtle is survived by her daughter, Esthermay (Mark) Goossen of Adams, Minnesota; her son, Davidjay (Nita) Bentley of Austin, Minnesota; and nine grandchildren, Dr. Jacob (Kelsey) Bentley of Plainview, Minnesota, Caleb (Katy) Bentley of Little Chute, Wisconsin, Jordan (Samantha) Bentley of Utica, Minnesota, Eliana (Abram) Medrano of Rochester, Minnesota, Selah (Noah) Shawley of Elyria, Ohio, Shepard (Tatiana) Goossen of Sartell, Minnesota, and Sharon Goossen, Timothy Goossen, and Alisa Goossen, all of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is also survived by six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Paul M. Wehlan; and her beloved husband, J. Grant Bentley.

Myrtle desired to be remembered as a woman whose purpose in life was to live for Jesus. Her deepest passion was growing closer to Him and learning more about Him each day. She firmly believed the Bible to be a living book—God’s voice to His people—and she loved reading and meditating on God’s Word. She often spoke with gratitude of God’s grace and faithfulness throughout her life.

Myrtle’s life was a testimony of quiet faith, faithful service, and wholehearted devotion to Jesus. Her family rejoices in knowing that she is now in the presence of Jesus, the Savior she loved and served so faithfully.

A funeral service for Myrtle will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 29, 2025, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin. The visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Grandview Cemetery, Austin. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Myrtle Esther Bentley's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/23/2025

12/22/2025

Elizabeth "Becky" Fern Josephson

Elizabeth “Becky” Fern (Lingbeck) Josephson, age 68, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep at her home on Friday, December 19, 2025. Becky was born October 26, 1957, in Mitchell, South Dakota. She is the middle daughter to James and Frances Lingbeck. Growing up, her family moved from South Dakota to Wisconsin and settled in Austin, Minnesota. She graduated from Austin High School in 1976.

Becky married her high school sweetheart, Gary Josephson on August 26, 1978. Together they had two children, Heather and Dustin. Much of Becky’s career was in banking where she worked at Sterling State Bank, Farmers & Merchants Bank and retired as Branch Manager from US Bank-Blooming Prairie in June 2022.

Becky’s favorite thing to do was spending time with her family and being at her lake home near Longville, MN. Her family was very important to her, always putting them first. She cherished her grandchildren more than anything, seldom missing any events. Her sister, Diana was her best friend; they often did everything together, including living next door to each other for much of her life. She enjoyed sitting by a campfire, swimming in the lake, listening to the loons and driving around on her golf cart. She liked to bake, making sure to always make enough to share with her family along with crocheting, reading and watching Minnesota sports.

Becky was a kind and beautiful soul who meant so much to those who knew her. She was someone with warmth, generosity and a gentle spirit. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Gary Josephson; daughter and son-in-law, Heather and Bradley Klouse; and son and daughter-in-law, Dustin and Megan Josephson; grandchildren, Hunter Klouse, Ashlyn Klouse, Keegan Josephson, and Kinnick Josephson; sister and brother-in-law, Diana and Norbert Otterbein; nieces, Crystal (Korey) Jakoubek, Jamie (Ryan) Jacobson, Katie (Kirk) Kuchera, and Lisa Janning; great niece and nephew, Haylee Silva, Liamm Silva; along with other family and friends, and her dog, Holly. Becky was forever grateful for Merry Petersen her kidney donor in June 2016.

Becky is preceded in death by her parents, James “Bud” and Frances “Fran” Lingbeck; sister, Debbie Lingbeck; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Clyde and Rosella Josephson; sister-in-law, Linda Conner.

A memorial service for Becky will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, December 26, 2025, at Crane Community Chapel in Austin. The visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Interment will be at a later date in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Elizabeth "Becky" Fern Josephson's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/21/2025

What could be better than a cup of hot chocolate and the scents of pine, peppermint, apple cinnamon cider, and pumpkin spice? What are your favorite wintertime treats?

12/20/2025

One of the best parts of Christmas is curling up and watching classic Christmas movies. But did you know that Christmas movies can teach us about grief? Check out this article to learn what lessons three classic Christmas movies offer.

Did you know that Christmas movies can help us learn about grief? Check out this article for lessons from 3 classic Christmas movies!

12/18/2025

Looking for a charming weekend away? Check out this list of the best small town to visit in every state! You can bookmark your next destination and start making plans for unforgettable memories. cutt.ly/best-small-towns-in-america

12/17/2025

Gerald "Jerry" Orlyn Dunford

Gerald “Jerry” Orlyn Dunford, age 92, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, formerly of Hollandale, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, December 13, 2025, at St. John’s Lutheran Community Woodlands on Fountain Lake in Albert Lea. Jerry was born March 14, 1933, in Rochester, Minnesota, and was raised by his parents, Allen and Tressie (Prentiss) Dunford. Jerry attended high school in Mantorville, Minnesota.

At age 17 he entered the military and served his country in the United States Army from July 29, 1950 to July 29, 1953. Jerry went to Fort Carson in Colorado and was then sent to Fort McCoy in Wisconsin. From there he was deployed to Korea and was there 15 months before he was wounded in action. Jerry then spent three months in Osaka, Japan in the hospital and rehab. Upon his return to the United States, he was stationed in California and Colorado. Jerry was honorably discharged on July 29, 1953, at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal, and two Overseas Service Bars. He was united in marriage on November 14, 1953, to Grace Irene Wiley at the First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

Jerry worked for 15 years at Paul D. Jones Growers before beginning at International Trucking. He then owned and operated Hollandale Oil Company – Phillips 66 – for over five years. Jerry spent a significant portion of his life as an over-the-road trucker until his retirement. During his retirement years, he assisted area farmers with planting and harvesting. While he was working, he saved the life of one of the farmers whose sweatshirt got caught in the belt of a piece of farm machinery. He lived most of his life in Hollandale, where he cherished his acreage and loved to spend time in the woods, embracing the outdoors.

One of Jerry’s greatest accomplishments in life was donating 10+ gallons of blood over 64 years. He gave his first blood donation in 1953 to a wounded man in Korea. During the span of his donations, it is possible that he saved over 240 lives. Jerry was an avid sports fan, never missing his son, Dan’s, games. He was especially passionate about the Minnesota Vikings – he was a season ticket holder since 1999 (never missing a game) and passed his love for the team on to his children. Jerry very much enjoyed talking to people, he always said he liked to put a smile on people’s faces. He was a lifetime member of the VFW and the American Legion in Albert Lea.

Survivors include his son, Daniel “Dan” Dunford of Austin, Minnesota; daughters, Jeri (Jack) Morgan of Austin, Minnesota and Mary (Randy) Boysen of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; granddaughter, Alexis; great-grandson, Knox; brother, Marvin (Diane) Dunford; sisters, Bonnie Cummins and Betty Cromwell; special nephew and niece, David and Karen VanReese; and many other nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Grace in 2000; son in infancy; brothers, Richard, Art, and Francis; and sisters, Arliss Crandall and Barbara Culbertson.

A funeral service for Jerry will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, December 22, 2025, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin. The visitation will take place from 9:30-11:00 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will be in Hollandale Cemetery, Hollandale, Minnesota. Memorials are preferred to the Albert Lea American Legion Post 56. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Gerald "Jerry" Orlyn Dunford's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/17/2025

Dorothy "Gene" Gullickson

Dorothy "Gene" (Andersen) Gullickson, age 96, a long-time resident of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, December 13, 2025, in Edina, Minnesota. Dorothy was born March 30, 1929, in Pillager, Minnesota at her grandparents’ home. She was the daughter of Hans Andersen and Adeline (Sorg) Andersen of Cushing, Minnesota. Dorothy was the eldest child of four and was brought up on the family farm. Growing up, she enjoyed going swimming, ice skating, and snow skiing. She called her piano lessons the worst thing in her life although she liked the teacher. Dorothy attended Rail Prairie School 1st- 8th grade in Cushing. She graduated from Saint Cloud Tech High School in 1947 and went on to obtain her registered nursing license from Northwestern Hospital and School of Nursing in 1950. While attending nurses training, she met Raymond Engh Gullickson and they were wed on September 16, 1950, at Pillager Baptist Church. Following college graduation, they both obtained a job at Hormel in Austin, Minnesota. They raised three children together and moved to Fort Dodge in 1966 until 1973 after which they returned to Austin. Dorothy and Raymond loved to travel, taking their family camping all over the United States. She especially enjoyed visiting her family at Lake Alexander. After their retirement, Dorothy and Ray enjoyed spending their winters in Pharr, Texas. Dorothy was a wonderful homemaker, enjoying cooking and baking, sewing and gardening. She was an active member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church both in Austin and Fort Dodge. Dorothy enjoyed her career as a registered nurse working at Northwestern Hospital, Hormel medical department in Austin, school nurse in Fort Dodge and most recently as a public health nurse with Mower County.

Dorothy is survived by her children, Carol (Jim) Altergott, David Gullickson, and her daughter, Joan (Mark) Hennessey; grandchildren, Mona Quinones and Brice Malloy; great-grandchildren, Isla and Avery; and step-grandchildren in Georgia and Kansas. Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Hans and Adeline Andersen; her beloved husband, Raymond Gullickson; an infant son, James; and siblings, Beverly Boswell, Dale Andersen, and Jackie McGee.

A funeral service for Dorothy will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025, at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Friday. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Dorothy "Gene" Gullickson's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/17/2025

This holiday season may be especially difficult for you if you’ve lost a loved one. The emotions are at the surface, and you’re not sure what to do. Try taking time to remember – the times you spent together, the laughs you shared, and the beauty of the love between you. Light a candle of remembrance, shed the tears as they come, and find a way to honor their memory as you embrace this season of grief. If you would like to learn more about grief support and services this holiday season, visit us at www.worlein.com.

12/16/2025

Connie Fae Priebe

Connie Fae Priebe, age 82, of Austin, Minnesota, went to be reunited with her husband, Larry, on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at Sacred Heart Care Center in Austin.

Connie was born on January 1st, 1943, in Dickinson, North Dakota to Marvin and Irene Hedin. She grew up in Dickinson, graduated from Dickinson High School and Trinity School of Nursing. On June 6, 1964, Connie married the love of her life, Larry John Priebe, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Dickinson, North Dakota. Together, Connie and Larry raised two sons, Monte and Ted, focusing on core values of love of family, dedication, respect, and serving others. After moving to Austin in 1969, Connie continued her work as a nurse and as a nursing instructor at Riverland College in Austin. Through her time as a nurse and educator, Connie pushed her students to show up early and to go above and beyond in the work that they did.

While giving back to her community at the healthcare and educational level were key to Connie, she also spent a number of years with the Red Cross and serving on the board at St. Mark’s. But the most important thing to Connie was spending her time with her family and dear friends. For Connie and Larry, supporting their grandkids in all things sports, music, church events, recitals, and competitions was paramount. They were always there cheering on their grandkids. Meals at Perkins, long talks on the phone, and volunteering were some of the favorite things Connie enjoyed doing with her friends and loved ones, and she did so with a smile.

In her last days, Connie continued to fight and do things on her own terms. Expressing what was right and wrong in the world, but always ensuring those around her knew how loved they were. “Love you to the moon and back” was the phrase Connie often used to close her Hallmark-designed cards, leaving a meaningful keepsake for everyone who received one.

Connie is survived by her sons, Monte (Pam) Priebe and Ted (Leslie) Priebe; grandchildren, Lincoln, Laura, Sean (MacKenzie), Danielle, and Nicole; great-granddaughter, Mathilda; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and Irene (Poppe) Hedin; her loving husband, Larry; and son, Jamie.

The family extends a special thank you to the Sacred Heart Care Center staff for their wonderful care of Connie.

A funeral service for Connie will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 19, 2025, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin. The visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Austin. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Red Cross or Sacred Heart Care Center. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Connie Fae Priebe's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.

12/15/2025

Jose Cupertino Hernandez

Jose Cupertino Hernandez, age 61, of Austin, Minnesota, passed away Saturday, December 6, 2025, at Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester, Saint Marys Campus. Jose was born September 18, 1964, to parents, Cupertino Hernandez Saucedo and Jacinta Hernandez Banda in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. On June 27, 1992, Jose married the love of his life, Jackie Miller, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. He worked at QPP in Austin for 33 years. He enjoyed fishing, going to casinos and reading. His favorite way to spend his free time was making memories with his children and playing with his grandchildren. Jose will be remembered as having a sweet tooth and would never turn down going to the bakery.

Jose is survived by his wife of 33 years, Jackie Hernandez; children, Danielle (Blayne Parks) Hernandez, Miguel “Mickey” Hernandez, and Luis (Brittany) Hernandez; grandchildren, Meribelle Parks (14), Sidney Parks (12), Rylan Hernandez (8), Korbin Hernandez (7), Kuper Parks (5); brother, Jose Luis; sisters Teresa and Maria Guadalupe; and many nieces, nephews other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Cupertino Hernandez Saucedo and Jacinta Hernandez Banda; sister, Asuncion; and brothers, Saturnino, Manuel, and Adrian.

A memorial gathering will be held from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home in Austin. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.

View Jose Cupertino Hernandez's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.