The Durrenberger Family of Primisweiler, Allgau Region, Württemberg, Germany

Obituary of Cornelius F. Votca

Cornelius F. Votca, a longtime and well-known resident of Mankato, passed away in peace and love in his 94th year on January 21, surrounded by his children, brother and sister.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, January 25, 2010 at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Mankato. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 2 – 5 p.m., Sunday, January 24 with a 2 p.m. prayer service at Landkamer – Johnson - Boman Funeral. Visitation will continue one hour before service at church on Monday.

Beginning as early as his high school years, Cornelius remained an active member of the community, where he served in various leadership roles for numerous organizations. Until his passing, he was past president and current member of the International Student Endowment Board of Directors at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Cornelius was a member of professional honor Societies: Pi Delta Epsilon, founder and its first president while a student at then Mankato Teachers College and Kappa Delta Pi, a collegiate fraternity for business education; and Delta Pi Epsilon for business education. His awards and recognitions included: Minnesota State Department of Education Outstanding Contribution to Vocational Education; Exceptional Leadership Award, St. Cloud School District where he was Director of Adult and Extension Education at the St. Cloud Technical College from 1966-1985; U.S. Office of Education National Parenting Education Award; Missouri Valley Adult Education Outstanding Achievement Award; State of Minnesota Legislature Award for Parent and Child Development; Kellogg Foundation Parenting Award; St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award; and the Minnesota State University, Mankato Harold J. Fitterer Distinguished Alumnus Service Award. In 1977, he received the WCCO Good Neighbor Award, and in 1933 he was Minnesota State Debate Champion.

Leadership roles included: Mankato Chamber of Commerce "SCORE", as a member of the small business retired executive team; Kiwanis Club President and Lieutenant Governor; Minnesota Sate University Mankato Alumni Board President; Knights of Columbus Faithful Navigator and Grand Knight; Mankato Symphony Orchestra Board; March of Dimes Polio Foundation; President of the Mankato Exchange Club and the Mankato Chamber of Commerce; St. Joseph the Worker Men's Club and Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts.

Cornelius met Phyllis while in high school, she as a senior class officer and he as Business Manager of the Mankato High News. They married on February 5, 1940 and in Detroit in the 1940s where he worked as a cost estimator at Ford Motor Company and at Harry Suffrin Clothing. Before his position at the St. Cloud Technical School, Cornelius worked part-time at Fisher Clothing in Mankato. In the late 1950s, he and Phyllis ran an entrepreneurial venture, the Park Lane Drive-In. He is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato where he earned a Bachelors and Masters in education.

Years ago, Cornelius and his brother, John, addressed the Mankato City Council to make certain Adams Street, named for their grandfather John Adams, one of the city's early contractors, remained a major thoroughfare.

Cornelius is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, sister, five grandchildren, two great grandchildren [survivors names omitted]. He is preceeded in death by his wife Phyllis, son Neil and granddaughter Marette Flies [survivors names omitted].

The family would like to thank the staff of Pathstone Living for their attentive care and the nurses and doctors of Immanuel- St. Joseph's Hospital.

Obituary of Phyllis Lucille Gentling

Mankato native, Phyllis Lucille Gentling Votca passed away in peace and love on December 13, 2007 surrounded by her three children and husband Cornelius of 67 years.

She will be remembered as a gentle, compassionate and creative person "with a marvelous sense of humor" who was devoted to her family, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and sister Bonnie. She also will be remembered for her proficiency at the bridge table where she played with treasured friends for many years. Born in Duluth, Minnesota in 1915, Phyllis grew up in Mankato and was the daughter of Dora Gentling Peterson and Paul Gentling. She and Cornelius met while attending Mankato High School when she was Senior Class Treasurer and he the school newspaper's business manager. They were married on February 5, 1940 and then lived for seven years in Detroit, Michigan during World War II. Theirs was a relationship of sheer devotion to one another. After schooling, Phyllis worked in the cosmetic department at Brett's Department Store where she modeled for Helena Rubenstein, representing the cosmetics company at the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago. While in Detroit she worked for the J.L. Hudson Department Store. In the late 1950s, she and Cornelius opened the Park Lane Drive In across from Mankato West High. She later wrote humorous accounts of its day-to-day operations. Her career path led to working as a field research consultant for the Jean Drew Research Firm in Minneapolis. She was an active Guild member at St. John the Baptist and St. Joseph the Worker Catholic churches and the Good Counsel Mothers Club.

Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Linda Flies Carole of Savage; son Tom Votca and wife Karon Metz of North Mankato; daughter Jeanne Carpenter and husband Gary of St. Louis Park; grandchildren Tom, his wife Kris Flies, and Marc Flies; Jenna, Evan and Lauren Carpenter; great-grandchildren Alexandra and Kendall Flies.

She is preceded in death by her son Neil, granddaughter, Marette Flies and sister Bonnie Gentling.

Visitation and a prayer service will be held at Landkamer-Johnson-Boman Funeral Home from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 16, 2007 and will continue one hour prior to services at the church. A rosary will be held at 1:50 p.m. and a prayer service at 5:00 p.m. at the funeral home on Sunday. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, December 17th, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with Father John Wilmot officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. The family wishes to thank the medical staff of Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital, with special appreciation for the kindness and compassionate care provided by its I.C.U. nursing staff. "And just at the moment when someone at my side says: ‘There, she is gone!' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: ‘Here she comes!'" Henry Van Dyke

Obituary of Joan Marie Klarkowski

April 26, 1935 - April 17, 2017 Passed away Monday just shy of her 82nd birthday. Preceded in death by husband, Raymond; parents, Fritz and Dorothy; brother, Donald.

She will be greatly missed by children, Kathy (Jesse) Price, Mark (Ann), Mary (Ross) Balzart & Colleen (Steve) Volkmann; 5 grandchildren, Karisa, Alex, Bailey, Conner & Dasha; great-grandson, Kodey; brother-in-law, Rob Hall; sister- in-law, Pat Klarkowski; along with numerous relatives and friends.

Mass of Christian Burial 11 AM Wednesday, April 26th at the Church of St. Joseph, 1154 Seminole Ave., West St. Paul. Visitation 10-11 am prior to Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.

Memorials preferred. www.robertsfuneralandcremation.com

Published in Pioneer Press on Apr. 23, 2017