Last week’s Influentials:
136. Warren Woodworth (1923-2005). Artist. Warren Wesley Woodworth was a self-taught artist known mainly for his oil paintings. Woodworth considered himself to be an impressionist, painting with vivid colors and a thick impasto. Among his many creative talents were photographer, opera singer, floral designer, chef and caterer. Woodworth also worked as a clothing and costume designer for 1948 Miss America, BeBe Shopp, and singer, Marian Anderson.
137. Father Kost (1918-2000). Harold Joseph Kost was born in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to Louis and Anna Ellen (Tracy) Kost. Kost attended St. John’s Seminary in Collegeville, Minnesota, and was ordained by Most Reverend Joseph E. Busch at the Cathedral of St. Mary in St. Cloud on 2 September 1945. Kost served in Morrison County as the pastor of St. James Church in Randall, Minnesota, from July 1950 until October 1957 and as pastor of Holy Family Church in Belle Prairie, Minnesota, from July 1974 until his death. In 1997, the Little Falls Exchange Club awarded Kost with the 1998 Book of Golden Deeds, an annual distinction given to outstanding volunteers in the community. The club cited Kost’s work as confessor to nuns at St. Francis Convent, on-call chaplain for Camp Ripley, spiritual director for the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and the Daughters of Isabella, and chaplain for the local Civil Air Patrol. Prior to his death, Kost was the oldest licensed pilot in the state. An amateur ham radio operator, he relayed messages from soldiers to their families during the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Wars.
138. John Roch (1813-1908). Early Pierz settler. John Roch was one of the first settlers of Pierz, Minnesota. Born in Prussia (Germany), Roch immigrated to Wisconsin in 1847 and came to Pierz (then Rich Prairie) around 1865/6. When Pierz Township was organized in 1869, Roch was elected one of the supervisors. Roch married (Anna) Clara Huebsch in 1852. John and Clara had eleven children – John Jr., Franciska, Elizabeth, Joseph, Anna, Henry, Jacob, Mary, John Collison (foster child), Amelia Thomas (adopted).
139. Arvid Christopherson (1916-1977). School Principal. Arvid Winfred Christopherson was born in Galchutt, North Dakota, to Chris and Anna Christopherson. In 1951, he came to Little Falls to be the principal at the newly-built Lindbergh Elementary School. Christopherson was principal of the school for twenty-six years. Christopherson served on the Carnegie Library Board, the District Parent-Teachers Association and had the honor of a life membership in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. He was commemorated in 1979 by sculptor, Tad Jensen, with a work that shows Principal Christopherson surrounded by a group of school children. Christopherson and his wife, Merced Hellickson, had five children – Jeffrey, Gary, Alan, Peter and Jill.
140. Cliff Buck (1914-1985). Businessman. Clifford R. Buck was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Edwin F. and Florence Buck. In the 1930s, Buck opened The White Elephant Store in Little Falls. In the 1940s, he opened the C. Buck Furniture Store on West Broadway. After retiring as owner and operator of the business in 1962, he started work as a real estate agent with C. Buck Realty in Little Falls, retiring in the mid-1970s. Buck also served as constable for the City of Little Falls. Buck married Marjorie Patience of Little Falls in 1947. Cliff and Marjorie had two children – Joanie and Jack.
This week’s Influentials:
141. Gary Stangl
142. Carlos Stroia
143. Mary Kiffmeyer
144. David Nelson
145. Thomas C. Gordon