Rhonda Lee Williams, A memorial service will be held Sun., Sept. 18, for Rhonda Lee Williams, who graduated from Proctor High School in 1970. She died of cancer Thurs., Sept. 8, 2005, in St. Paul, Minn. She was 53.

Rhonda was born Sept. 1, 1952 in San Rafael, Calif. After high school, she attended the University of Minnesota where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science. Her passion for horses led her to an equestrian lifestyle which began with her first job as a stable hand at the age of nine. During the summers, Rhonda spent her vacation on the Jorgensen farm. She loved to ride in the Lake Benton Saddle Horse Day Parade. During the summer of 1976, Rhonda rode her Arabian gelding, Phaleyne, across the U.S. from Utica, New York to Sacramento, Calif. It took her 100 days. The ride started as a group competition and ended with two riders completing the journey. Rhonda was one of them. The said it best when she described herself: “I am a woman who loves wild horses, wolves, and the wilderness; anything Mother Earth has to offer. I enjoy the simple pleasures of life - peace and a nonviolent lifestyle. …A free spirited, free thinking, artistic animal scientist.”

Rhonda is preceded in death by her grandparents Iver and Marie Jorgensen, who settled in Lake Benton after immigrating from Denmark, and Robert and Pearl Williams of Sand Spring, Okla.

Survivors include her son Eric Swiggum of Minneapolis, parents Robert and Jeanette Williams of Missouri and Minn., brother Kevin (Julie) Williams and niece Kate of Missouri, sister Susan Williams and niece Pearl of New York, and many aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as her devoted pets her dog Isus, cat Scruffy, and horses Concerto and Tough.

The memorial service will be held Sun., Sept. 18, 1 p.m. at Hole in the Mountain Park, Lake Benton, Minn.

Arthur A. Allen, Arthur A. Allen, who was born in Proctor on Nov. 15, 1916, passed away on Thurs., Sept. 8, 2005, in Naples, Fla.

He lived most of his life in rural Superior, near Lake Amnicon. He was an Army Air Corps Master Sergeant, specializing as an airport mechanic in WW II. After the war, he returned to Superior where he and Helen Cieslas were married in 1945. He farmed and was a boilermaker for the Great Northern Railroad and a machinist for Murphy Oil Refinery. He retired in 1982, moving to Arizona and then to Florida. He was instrumental in the building of St. William’s Catholic Church in Foxboro as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus.

Art was preceded in death by his wife Helen in 1996.

He is survived by his children Jeffrey, Joseph (Mary) and Gene (Beth), all of Arizona, James (Karen) of St. Paul, Jon (Kathy) of NC, and Mary Jill (Randy) Leslie of Naples, brother Gerald (Shirley) Allen of Willow River, 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Private family services were held in Naples. A celebration of Arthur’s life will be held with a mass and burial in Superior the summer of 2006.

Curtis Thorval Kolden, Curtis Thorval Kolden, who was a Proctor resident for most of his life and a 1976 graduate of Proctor High School, died unexpectedly Thurs., Sept. 8, 2005, in his home in Duluth. He was 47.

A resident of N. Central Ave., he was born on Aug. 29, 1958 in Duluth to Rueben and Ethel (Strom) Kolden. He had been an employee of St. Louis County as a food service worker at Mid Town Manor for the past 27 years. He was confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Proctor. Curt loved birds and bird watching, nature and music. He was very soft hearted and cared about people.

Survivors include his parents Rueben and Ethel Kolden of Duluth, siblings Gerald Robinson of Duluth, Joanne (Tom) Blazejak of Proctor, James (Loan) Kolden of Lakeville, Daniel (Tracy) Kolden of Hermantown and Kathy (Virgil) Fox of Duluth, several nieces and nephews, and many friends.

A memorial service was held Tuesday in Bell Brothers Funeral Home, Rev. Joseph Koranda officiated.

Rae J. Nelson , Rae J. Nelson of Munger died Mon., Sept. 5, 2005, at St. Mary’s Medical Center. She was 73.

She was born in Duluth Aug. 17, 1932, and was a 1950 graduate of Central High School. Rae enjoyed reading, knitting, crocheting and music. She worked in scheduling at Chris Jensen Nursing Home. She was an active member of Hope Lutheran Church, serving as Sunday School superintendent and teacher, the Ladies Aid and church choir. She also was a 4-H leader and member of the Proctor PTA.

Rae was preceded in death by her parents and brother Richard Olin.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years Norman, daughter Terry (Ronald) Blaisdell of Two Harbors, sons Gary (Pat) of Munger, Roger (Kathy) of Duluth and Randy (Virginia) of Hermantown, ten grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral service was held in Hope Lutheran Church. Burial at Oneota Cemetery.