The following obituaries are from the Oct. 29, 2009 print edition of the Shakopee Valley News newspaper:

Frances Mathilda Byers

Frances Byers, 87, of Chaska, died Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 at St. Gertrude’s Health Care Center, Shakopee.

Memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 13066 Old Brickyard Road, Shakopee (corner of County Roads 79 and 68). Inurnment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis.

Frances was born March 15, 1922 in Minneapolis. She had a wonderful sense of humor and a fun spirit. She was a wonderful mother and a good listener. What she loved most was participating in her preaching and teaching work as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Her hope is to be resurrected to a paradise earth and be reunited with her family and friends. She was dearly loved and we will truly miss her.

Frances was preceded in death by her husband, Robert L. Byers, and daughter, Holly Byers.

Survivors include her children, Cynthia (Dick) Walker of Shakopee, Mike (Marcy) Byers of Chaska, Tom (Dawn) Byers of Grand Forks, N.D., Robert Jr. Byers of Chaska, Larry Pearson of Arizona, Craig Pearson of Arizona; special grandson, Chad Walker; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; sister, Lila Allison of Hopkins.

Funeral arrangements were with the Bertas Funeral Home of Chaska, 952-448-2137.

Marie M. McDevitt

Marie McDevitt, 93, of Shakopee, died Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 at Friendship Manor Care Center in Shakopee.

She was born in Shakopee on July 9, 1916 to Thomas and Celia (Vierling) McDevitt. Marie worked for Brown & Bigelow in St. Paul, in the calendar department. She was a member of the Legion of Mary in St. Paul.

Marie is survived by sisters, Sister Celia CSJ of St. Paul, Irene (Clarence) Bursey of Shakopee, Theresa Pratschner of Champlin; several nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by parents, Thomas and Celia; sisters, Ethel Haasken and Agnes McDevitt; brothers, Lawrence and Edward.

Visitation was Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., followed by Mass of Christian Burial at 12:30 p.m., all at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Shakopee. Officiating at the funeral service was the Rev. Peter Wittman. Pallbearers were Jim Reinke, Rick Pratschner, Cal Haasken, Ken Haasken, Dean McDevitt, Dennis McDevitt. Interment at Catholic Cemetery in Shakopee.

Memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Shakopee.

Funeral arrangements through McNearney Funeral Home in Shakopee, 952-445-2755. www.mcnearneyfuneralhome.com

Larry A. Severtson

Larry Severtson, a dedicated family man whose wife, children and grandchildren were the light of his life.

Larry, of Prior Lake, passed away from cancer on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 at Fairview Southdale in Edina, at the age of 63. He was born Dec. 17, 1945 in Blue Earth, Minn., the son of Selmer and Winnifed (Swift) Severtson, and was united in marriage to Rose Wangen on Dec. 23, 1966 in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Loved and will be forever missed by wife, Rose; daughters, Karen (Jim) Koewler of Chaska, Tammie (Dave McElwain) Severtson of Prior Lake; grandchildren, Alison, Megan, Samantha, Emily, Jessica; brother, Roger (Elna) Severtson of Oakland, Minn.; sister, Beverly Busch of Claremont, Minn. and many other family and friends. Larry is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Luverne.

Celebration of Life Service was Wednesday, Oct. 28, at noon at Oakland Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minn. with visitation from 10:30 a.m.–noon. The Rev. Robert Berthold and Alan Stoa officiated. Interment will be at Oakland Lutheran Cemetery in Albert Lea.

Bruce H. Cook

Bruce H. Cook, 64, of Storm Lake, Iowa and formerly of Shakopee, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center of Storm Lake.

A memorial service was Friday, Oct. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Alta, Iowa. Burial will be at the Fort Ripley Cemetery of Fort Ripley, Minn. There will be no visitation.

Remembrance of Bruce Cook always includes a great sense of humor in a fun-loving talker who shared his observances as stories. On Nov. 28, 1944 in Spring Valley, Minn., he was born a preacher's son to the Rev. Herbert F. Cook and Sarah Wagner Cook. A few years later, the family moved to Springfield, Minn. where Bruce entered the first four years of school. In 1954 they moved to Buffalo Lake, Minn., where Bruce completed high school in 1962.

Singing was an important part of his youth as a men's quartet member in church and school. Playing baritone horn in the school band, tall, dark, handsome Bruce was also the drum major for the marching band. Bruce was a paper boy for several papers. One year a customer submitted a full column article to the Minneapolis Star, praising him as the model paper boy for his customer service and neighborliness beyond what was required. A peer reminisces, "I remember a happy-go-lucky kid in Buffalo Lake with love of people, smiles, stories, and a good time. He belonged and was happy being himself." Serving as team manager for sports teams began a life-long avid interest in sports, including when he was a parent on the sidelines of his children's teams.

After one year at Westmar College in LeMars, Iowa, Bruce joined the U.S. Army and served from 1963-65. He completed his Associate of Arts degree in marketing from Normandale Community College in 1971. Bruce was employed in many business environments as an airline worker, restaurant manager, taxi driver, telemarketer, Wal-Mart associate, market researcher, and a consummate salesman.

In 1969, he and Edith Paetznick were married, and for 25 years they lived in the Savage and Shakopee areas, raising their three children: Nolan, Kent and Monica. More recently, Bruce enjoyed spending time with his granddaughter, 1-year-old Ella Rae Schmit.

After his first marriage ended in divorce, Bruce and Rochelle Weisgurt were married for several years. He has lived in Alta and Storm Lake for the past decade.

He is survived by his children, Nolan Cook of Shakopee,

Kent (Jodi) Cook of Cottage Grove, Minn., Monica (Tom) Schmit of Savage; granddaughter, Ella Rae Schmit; sisters, Karla (Sheldon) Weinert of Sheldon, Iowa, Ginni Cook of Chicago, Ill.; along with many nieces and nephews.

Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Alta provided arrangements.

Jan S. (Steiner) Christensen

Jan Christensen, 60, of Prior Lake, passed away Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009.

She was born in St. Joseph, Mo. on March 7, 1949 to parents, Herman and Charlene (Myrick) Steiner. Jan married James Christensen on April 6, 1968 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Farmington, Minn.

Jan drove school bus for 35 years for the family business. She also was a long-time newspaper deliverer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune. She enjoyed reading, studying, cooking for her family and tending to her flower garden. What was most important to Jan was her loving family and her close relationship with her Creator.

She is survived by husband, Jim Christensen; children, Jayme Christensen, Jaben Christensen, Jared Christensen and Ja’Nae Christensen; grandchildren, Brooklynn, Madelyn and Kylie; mother, Charlene Campbell, all of Prior Lake; father, Herman (Lola) Steiner of St. Joseph, Mo.; brothers, Rex Steiner of Woodland Park, Colo. and Reggie Steiner of Spring Lake Park, Minn.

Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Prior Lake.

Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com