The following is an excerpt regarding the Deer Ridge district cemetery, St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery, from A Homesteader's Dream, a locally compiled history book:
The first meeting to arrange to have a cemetery in this district was held May 28th, 1932 by Rev. Weidenhammer. At this meeting a motion moved by Carl Scharkowski and second by Chas. Joelson that a cemetery be arrange for though the sponsorship of a religious group and that this cemetery by a community cemetery where burial privileges were extended to all.
A committee was elected for purposed of selecting a plot and bringing in suggestions regarding a cemetery. Committee was Chas. Joelson, A. F. Nyberg, Walter Morris, and Chas. Kennedy.
June 28th, 1932 another meeting was held where Chas. Joelson moved and seconded by A. F. Nyberg that a piece of land about one acre in extent; the NE corner of SE ¼ of section 5 Township 52 Range 1 W of 3rd be set aside for a cemetery. This land was donated by Charles Joelson as it was a part of his quarter.
The cemetery was named St. Paul’s Lutheran which was the name of the church when we had one.
In May 1934 Mrs. Kroken canvassed the district for funds for the cemetery. To do this she walked around the district and collected the sum of $25.05. She was even offered a bushel of wheat. Money was scarce then.
The R.M. gives an annual donation of $10.00 and donations from anyone help to keep a fund on hand.
Proceeds from lunch sold at Korken’s Auction Sale of $110.00 was used to buy posts and wire to fence it, but has since been taken down.
When the Ladies Community Club folded up they turned over the balance of $404.83 they had on hand. This helped to buy the name sign above the gate.
Trees and shrubs have been planted but have not grown. We have a riding lawn mover which John Viklund operates when necessary.
An annual clean-up-bee is held every spring. Anyone is free to go and cut the grass and plant flowers. Elmer Joleson looks after grave selections. Mrs. F. Nyberg is Secretary Treasurer.
The following is a list of everyone laid to rest in St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery at Deer Ridge:
Names Age Year
Pearson (Mrs Edquist’s mother) 81 years 1932
Abdai, Gizella (baby) 2 years 1933
Lee, Garth (baby) 6 months 1936
Lens, Edmund 18 years 1936
Ljuden (twins) 1 year 1936-37
Viklund, Konrad 12 years 1938
Ryang, Krist 44 years 1939
Brunsdon, Beulah 26 years 1940
Nyberg, Harry 24 years 1940
Grimes, Edward 35 years 1941
Ek, Mrs. Jenny 44 years 1944
Nyberg, (baby) stillborn 194?
Scharkowski, Carl 45 years 1945
Meier, Wm. [William] 47 years 1945
Ek, (baby) 6 months 1946
Ferguson, Mrs. Lily 68 years 1946
Wasstrom, Joans 69 years 1946
Suetta, Vausty (baby) 3 months ?
Pearsons, Joans 75 years 1946
Miller, D. J. ? ?
Peterson, Henry ? ?
Monus, Esther 97 years May 29, 1947
Kroken, Helmar 51 years Jul. 13, 1949
Pearson, Christina 77 years Dec. 6, 1949
Johnson, Gustav 73 years Dec. 17, 1949
Belus, (baby) ? ?
Paul, Daniel 69 years Jan. 19, 1950
Viklund, (baby) stillborn Sept. 2, 1950
Olson, Gunhild 47 years May 16, 1951
Herdin, Hans 61 years Aug. 18, 1951
Ohlund, Elizabeth 19 years Feb. 16, 1952
Johnson, Brita 71 years Oct. 27, 1952
Sjogren, Brian Andrew 2 months Mar. 22, 1954
Miller, James Oscar 69 years Jan. 11, 1955
Joelson, Carl John 85 years Mar. 15, 1955
Hooper, Margaret (moved) 76 years May 12, 1955
Stene, Wilfred 15 years May 18, 1955
Joelson, Marie Augusta 68 years Sept. 20 1955
Sjogren, Anna Fredricke 66 years Sept. 23, 1955
Smith, Larry Edward 13 years Feb. 22, 1957
Monas, Ronald Gary 1 months May 2, 1957
Coombs, David Eric 13 years Nov. 13, 1957
Schuetz, John Baptiste 50 years Dec. 20, 1958
Monus, Kalman 84 years Mar. 23, 1959
Belus, George 66 years Aug. 8, 1959
Herdin, Anton Leo 39 years Dec. 23, 1959
Kormos, John G. 16 years Apr. 18, 1960
Nyberg, Ronald Allen 24 years Jul. 2, 1960
Monus, Lea 74 years Sept. 19, 1960
Strube, Fritz George 82 years Apr. 19, 1961
Viklund, Karl Herman 78 years Apr. 22, 1961
Herdin, Emma 68 years Jul. 25, 1962
Nyberg, Andrew Ferdinand 75 years May 19, 1963
Nyberg, John Albert 78 years Jun. 19, 1963
Anderson, Alexander 47 years Jan. 18, 1964
Kormos, Edward Michael 32 years Jun. 30, 1964
Flaagan, Andres Reierson 92 years Jul. 9, 1964
Strube, Freiderika 88 years Jun. 13, 1965
Kormos, Juluis John 32 years Mar. 29, 1966
Abdai, Joseph 74 years Sept. 12, 1966
Sjogren, Janet Lee (baby) 1 day Sept. 13, 1966
Hegedus, Lydia 80 years Oct. 1, 1966
Belus, Ethel 58 years Oct. 9, 1968
Nyberg, Hilma Augusta 87 years Feb. 7, 1969
Johnson, Milda Karolina 61 years Jun. 18, 1970
Randell, Christine Florence (baby) 21 days Nov. 15, 1970
Mason, Stanley Alfred 54 years Nov. 26, 1970
Ohlund, Beda Katarine 66 years Jul. 5, 1971
Joelson, Mary Josephine 39 years Nov. 4, 1973
Edquist, Conrad Theodore 87 years Dec. 1, 1973
Szell, Annie 74 years Mar. 5, 1974
Thompson, Hannah 88 years Mar. 12, 1976
Stead, Ernest Edgar 75 years Aug. 5, 1976
Sjogren, Anderw 81 years Aug. 30, 1976
Randell, Robert E. 48 years Aug. 31, 1976
Flagon, Ray (Reier) Anderson 64 years Nov. 22, 1976
Nyberg, Glenn Edward 38 years Jun. 4, 1978
Abdai, Anna 80 years Jul. 2, 1978
Belus, Helen 56 years Aug. 7, 1978
Thompson, Olaf 68 years Aug. 29, 1978
Gale, Robert Charles 28 years Nov. 12, 1978
Edquist, Ida Maria Olivia 92 years Jan. 23, 1979
Johansen, Haaken 82 years Aug. 19, 1979
