12/14/1930 – 03/30/2026

Eileen passed away at home on March 30, 2026, at age 95. She was preceded in death by her husband Dennis; her parents, Arnold and Verena Willenbring; sisters, Lucinda Meierhofer and Lillian Arnold; and brother, Dennis Willenbring. She is survived by daughters, Carol Anne (John) Wall and Kathryn Weiss; son, David Weiss; grandsons, Corey and Aaron Weiss; granddaughters, Sarah (Ari) Ramirez and Rachel Wall.

Eileen was born on December 14, 1930, and grew up in the little central Minnesota town of Richmond (previously Torah). Her grandfather John Willenbring was talented with all things mechanical, running a watch shop and a mechanical shop, over which Eileen lived as a young child. She was proud of her grandpa’s role keeping the church tower clock accurate and og his ability to tune a piano by ear. Her father Arnold Willenbring inherited the mechanical touch, and had several patents filed during his life. Her father’s sister Clara and brother Leo inherited the musical talent, and Eileen developed a lifelong love of music, both played and sung, from her aunt and uncle.

As did many of Eileen’s contemporaries at the time, she moved to the Twin Cities to find work while also returning home on weekends to socialize. It was through her sister Lillian and that circle of friends that she met her husband Dennis Weiss, who also hailed from central Minnesota (Grove City). They married on May 26, 1956, and a year later moved to a house on Bilbuck Lane (now Upper 73rd Street in Inver Grove Heights) – the same home in which she died nearly 70 years later.

Eileen had attended business school to be an administrative assistant. She started her career at Honeywell (part of the wire desk), left to have children, then returned to work when her youngest was in school. She worked at GNB (formerly in Mendota Heights) as an executive assistant until retiring in 1987. While working, Eileen juggled her work, her children and her home but found time at night to play the piano and sometimes sing along. This soundtrack is a bedtime memory that her children cherish.

Music was Eileen’s joy and ministry. With her free time, particularly after retirement, she sang and played handbells for many years in various church and volunteer choirs. A member of the Church of Saint Patrick since first built on 72nd Street, she was a member of the “Resurrection Choir” that sang at other’s funerals, and of the Adult Choir, and for nearly 15 years the Handbell Choir. Eileen was also a member of the Divine Redeemer Auxiliary Girl Singers (DRAGS), later the Music Makers when Divine Redeemer Hospital ceased operations. The group traveled to various nursing homes, entertaining residents.

From a young age, Eileen loved pets, especially but not exclusively cats. In her last 9 years, after the passing of her husband Dennis, Eileen’s rescue cat Eddie was her constant companion and comfort.

Mass of Christian Burial 11AM Saturday, April 11th at the Church of St. Patrick 3535 72nd St., Inver Gove Heights. Visitation one hour prior to Mass. Interment St. Patrick’s Church Cemetery.

Age 74 of Inver Grove Heights.

Passed away unexpectedly on March 24, 2026.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Stan and Laverne Peterson, and three sisters.

Bonnie is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Jim; her sons, Dan (Shelley) and Mike (Kristi); her cherished grandchildren, Collin, Kylie, Makayla, and Braeden; her brothers, Kevin and Daryl; and many other family members and dear friends.

Bonnie was a woman whose life was rooted in love, generosity, and deep devotion to her family. She spent her life working in the family business, where she managed the office and dedicated herself with the same care, commitment, and pride that she brought to every part of her life. She found her greatest joy in the time spent with those she loved most. Her grandchildren held a special place in her heart—she treasured every moment with them, whether it was playing games, celebrating milestones, or simply being together. They were a constant source of pride and happiness in her life.

She had a giving spirit that touched everyone around her. Bonnie freely gave her time and energy to helping others, especially through tutoring, teaching and her involvement with the church. She had a natural ability to connect, encourage, and uplift, and she made a lasting difference in the lives of those she helped. Her kindness, patience, and willingness to give of herself never went unnoticed.

Bonnie will also be remembered for her infectious laugh, one that could light up a room and bring a smile to anyone who heard it. It was a reflection of her joyful spirit and the warmth she carried with her wherever she went.

Bonnie loved to spend time with family, create meaningful connections, and be there for others whenever they needed her. She will be remembered for her warm heart, her steady presence, and the way she made people feel cared for and supported.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, April 11th, at St. Thomas Becket Catholic Church, 4455 S. Robert Trail, Eagan, with visitation from 10:00–11:00 AM prior to Mass. Private interment.

Her legacy of love and generosity will live on in all who knew her.

Age 97, formerly of Inver Grove Heights,

Passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on March 25, 2026, while in the care of Beyond Hospice at The Pillars.

Virgil was born on April 23, 1928, in Holdingford, MN, to Henry and Eleanor Sandkamp. As a young child, his family moved to a farm in Grey Cloud Township, where he grew up alongside his 11 brothers and sisters. A graduate of Park High School, Virgil was captain of the football team and a standout track athlete. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Thomas and went on to attend medical school at St. Louis University where he met a beautiful nursing student named Joan who became his beloved wife on August 25, 1956.

Following their wedding, Virgil served as a Major and physician in the U.S. Air Force before returning to Minnesota for a 39-year career in family medicine in South St. Paul.

Together, Virgil and Joan raised 8 children over the course of their nearly 70 year marriage and spent 60 years at their small farm in Inver Grove Heights. Virgil shared his love of the outdoors with his children teaching them how to farm and garden while on his favorite John Deere tractor. He also passed on his love of horseback riding, skiing, fishing and cheering on the Johnnies and the Fighting Irish during college football season. He was an avid reader who loved to share his favorite books with family. A new book was always a perfect gift for him. He had an immense talent for fixing anything from a child’s toy to a broken arm. In retirement, he immersed himself in woodworking, crafting bamboo canes and unique styled end tables, and even making rosaries from hay baling twine. In later years, he and Joan cherished winters in Tucson, Arizona where they lived next door to their daughter Kathy and her family.

Deeply committed to his community, Virgil gave his time, energy and expertise to numerous causes important to him. He served as a team physician for South St. Paul High School, volunteered for years with Joan at the Wakota Life Care Center, gave his support and time to the clergy and the Church of St. Patrick, and cared for countless neighbors and families. He was proud to say that he delivered the first, hundredth and the thousandth baby at Divine Redeemer Hospital.

His long and well-lived life was a testament to his strength after surviving childhood tuberculosis. He loved his whole family and dedicated his life to them. He is survived by his loving wife, Joan; his children, Terese (John) Shearer, Kathy (Greg) Harris, Anthony (Marlene), Andy (Victoria), Rose (Dave) Vierling, Amy (Jeff) Stariha and Joseph (Takako), his 23 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; his siblings, Elaine Simone, Mary Jane (Mike)Pisano, Joann Hinz and John (Pat).

He is welcomed to heavenly life by those loved ones preceded in death, his daughter Mary; his parents, Henry and Eleanor; his brothers, Leo, Werner Bernie and Alan Gene, and his sisters, Marcia Ell, Carol Devereaux, Helen Jansen and Norma Koenigs.

A visitation will be held at Roberts Funeral Home, 8108 Barbara Ave. E., Inver Grove Heights, from 6:00–8:00 PM on Tuesday, March 31st. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Church of St. Patrick, 3535 72nd St. E., Inver Grove Heights, on Wednesday, April 1st. Visitation begins at 10:00 AM, with Mass at 11:00 AM. Mass will also be livestreamed at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/a26031960642710. A luncheon at the church and burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery will follow.

Age 92, of Oakdale, Minnesota

Passed away peacefully on March 22, 2026, at Southview Acres Care Center, she passed away with her loving daughter Carol and son-in-law Tom by her side.

She was preceded in death by her infant daughter; her son, Michael; her grandparents; her parents, Dorothy and Robert Lane; and her husbands, Lloyd Jensen and Charles Weisner.

Pat is survived by her twin daughters, Carol (Tom) Wilson and Cheryl (Pete) Hanzlik; her grandchildren, Christopher, Andrea (Adam), Katie (Louis), and Justin; and her great-grandchildren, Landon, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Rory. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Rose Brown, along with many nieces, nephews, and other loving relatives and friends.

Pat was born on January 6, 1934, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Dorothy and Robert Lane. She proudly served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, where she was stationed in Arlington, Virginia, and worked as a teletype operator at the Pentagon. She was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

Pat enjoyed traveling and taking day trips, as well as watching her favorite soap opera, game shows, reading, playing bingo and loved to eat chocolate. Above all, she cherished spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She always looked forward to weekend visits and loved her phone calls, where she could catch up on what everyone was up to—hearing about their days, their activities, and all the little things going on in their lives. Those moments meant so much to her.  She also treasured taco lunch dates with her oldest grandson, Christopher, and visits from her special nurse, Chey, who took such wonderful care of her at home.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff of the Transitional Care Unit on the first floor at Southview Acres Care Center for their compassionate care, as well as to the Hospice of the Midwest team for their support.

Private family interment with cemetery honors will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on Monday, April 6th, 2026.

Gerald “Jerry/JR” Ries, age 73 of South St. Paul, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, March 23, 2026.

Gerald Lee, the son of Raymond and Donna (Benz) Ries, was born on May 21, 1952, in St. Paul.  Following his education at Simley High School, Jerry was enlisted in the United States Army and later received an honorable discharge. Jerry began working at Ries-Skelly for a short while before his life-long career at Aggregate Industries where he was a longtime heavy equipment operator. All throughout his life, Jerry was an avid golfer, loved to fish, and to garden, often sharing his produce with many family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and by his sister, Michele.

Jerry is survived by his siblings, Barb (Jeff) Moore, Mike Ries, Gene Ries, Cathie Ries, and Daveen (Steve) Woodford; nieces and nephews, Cheri (Paul) Werner, Derek (Amy) Running, Jamie (Tom) Weber, Joel (Meghan) Moore, Alicia (Paul) Anderson, Mariah Ries, Natasha Caporusso, and David (Stephanie) Ries; and by many aunts, uncles, cousins, great nieces and nephews, and friends.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Roberts Funeral & Cremation Chapel, 8108 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights and will also be livestreamed at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/a26036335927611.  Interment will follow at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery.

Family and friends are cordially invited to a visitation from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., and to a reception following the graveside service, all at the funeral home on Tuesday.

Marlys A. James, age 86 of Inver Grove Heights, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 23, 2026. Recently, Marlys celebrated her birthday and had the opportunity to meet her first great great grandson.

Marlys, the daughter of Raymond and Wilhelmina (Krall) Stokke, was born on March 18, 1940 in Menomonie, Wisconsin.  Following her graduation from Humbolt High School, Marlys married Robert “Shonnie” James.  She worked in manufacturing at Minnesota Plastics and later Whirlpool prior to working as a dietary aide at Maplewood Care Center and Rose of Sharon Nursing Home until her retirement. Marlys enjoyed bowling, traveling, playing cards, spending time with friends and especially her grandchildren.  She was a talented cake decorator and enjoyed sharing her finished treats with family and friends.

 She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Shonnie; siblings, Gene, Norma, Joyce, and Carol; and son-in-law, Tim Larson.

Marlys is survived by her daughters, Sheri James and Jodi Larson; grandchildren, Rob James, Shannon James, Calli (Billy) Brown, and Michelle Hermann; great grandchildren, Anika, Brooke, Kylie, Norah, Lilly, and Ava; great great grandson, Wren.

A Celebration of Marlys’ Life will be held on Sunday, March 29th at Roberts Funeral & Cremation Chapel, 8108 Barbara Avenue, Inver Grove Heights, with a visitation from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.  A service, including a time to share will follow at 3:00 p.m.  Private family interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date. 

November 13, 1951 ~ March 17, 2026

Age 74 of Zimmerman, formerly of Cottage Grove, MN

Preceded in death by parents, Lloyd & Normamae Weakley; three brothers, Jim, Scott & Garry Weakley. Survived by brothers, Chip (Brenda) Weakley, Darryl (Jeanne) Weakley, Terry (Gretchen) Weakley; sister-in-law, Vicky Weakley; also many nieces, nephews & friends.

Mary graduated from Park High School in St. Paul Park.  She was known for being a caregiver for her entire family.  Mary did her best to keep everyone together and was there to help in any way she could.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 18^th at Roberts Funeral Home, 8108 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights.  Visitation will be from 1:00 -2:00 pm with a Time of Sharing at 2:00 pm.  In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota.

Age 50, of St. Paul,

Passed away peacefully at his home on March 19, 2026, after a lengthy illness.

He was born May 31, 1975, in Obando, Bulacan, Philippines. He moved to the United States in 1996 and settled in St. Paul, MN. Cesar worked many years at ConAgra Foods Waseca. He was preceded in death by his father, Crispin. Cesar is survived by his children, Ethan and Sydney Dimapelis; his mother, Gloria Dimapelis; brothers, Gerry Dimapelis and Charlie (Eleanor) Dimapelis; sisters, Estelita (Daniel) Felten, Theresa (Chris) Saavedra, Stephanie (Dan Gordon) Dimapelis, and many nieces and nephews, family, and friends.

Cesar was known for his incredible sense of humor and the love he had for his family. He could always lighten the mood and bring a smile to anyone he met with his jokes and infectious laugh. He especially loved spending time with his family and doted on his nieces and nephews.

A Funeral Service will be held at 12:00 pm Friday, March 27, 2026, at Roberts Funeral Home, 8108 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights, MN. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm prior to the service, and a luncheon will follow the service. An internment will be conducted on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at 10:00 am at Riverview Cemetery, West St Paul, MN.

Age 81 of Inver Grove Heights

Passed away peacefully, with family, March 19, 2026. Preceded in death by husband, Gus; parents, Edward and Dorothy Marks. Survived by son, Jeffery; granddaughters, Shauna & Samantha; sister, Donna Jeseritz; nephew, Michael (Aly) Jeseritz and their children. 

“Barb loved being a grandmother and cherished every moment spent with her granddaughters. She was very proud to have worked for over 30 years as a cook in the Inver Grove Heights Community School District (ISD 199), where she shared her passion for food with others. She loved hosting gatherings and bringing people together. She found great joy in time spent with family and friends—especially during summers at the family cabin she and her husband, Gus, owned in Big Lake, MN. She will always be remembered for her sharp sense of humor and the special way she brought people together. She will be forever loved and deeply missed by many.”

Age 71 of Inver Grove Heights, MN

April 30, 1954 – March 5, 2026

Passed away at home on Thursday, March 5. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Roberts Funeral and Cremation Chapel, 8108 Barbara Ave, Inver Grove Heights, MN. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. The family is requesting memorials to the Lewy Body Dementia Association. Burial will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery in South St. Paul, MN.

Robert Pollock was born on April 30, 1954, at St. John’s Hospital in St. Paul, MN, to Benedict and Elaine (Marek) Pollock. He was the 2nd of 4 siblings. He grew up in South St. Paul, MN, and graduated from South St. Paul High School in 1972.

After graduating from high school, Bob went to college at the University of Minnesota, Crookston and graduated cum laude with an Associates in Applied Science with High Distinction. He also attended South Dakota State University, Brookings and received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. He later started his own landscaping business, Arch-Tech Landscaping, and Naturally Grown Farm, in 1987 and was in business for 39 years. He’s also been a botanist, farmer, landscaper, and consultant since 1974. Bob also worked as a gardener for the University of Minnesota from 1983-1988 and was a botanist for the National Park Service from 2008-2010.

He married Nancy Morgan on May 5, 1984, and they built a home on 5 acres in Inver Grove Heights. They were married for 27 years, and had 2 children together, Gustaf and Anna.

Bob served his community and was elected to the Inver Grove Heights City Council from 1989-1992. He started the Environmental Commission and was a Minnesota representative to the National League of Cities Natural Resource Committee.

Bob’s favorite pastimes were hunting, fishing, gardening/farming and also watching the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Vikings. He was a lover of the outdoors and could tell you the name of practically any plant, tree or shrub. He loved to travel and went to Poland soon after the Berlin Wall fell.

Bob is survived by a son and a daughter, Gustaf (Kayla) of Prior Lake, MN, and Anna (TJ) of Eden Prairie, MN. He is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Victoria, Maximus, and Barrett, as well as, his mother, Elaine Pollock; sisters, Susann (Kevin) Goebel and Mary Jo Pollock; and nephews, Timothy (Yuko) Goebel and Benjamin Goebel.

He was preceded in death by his father, Benedict Pollock; and brother, Kenneth Pollock.