Lorraine Joan (Iverson) Rykhus, age 100 of Tracy, passed away Friday, February 20, 2026 at Our House Hospice of Murray County. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday February 25, 2026 at Lake Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin. Visitation will be 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. at church on Wednesday. Interment will be in the Tracy City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Lake Sarah Lutheran Church are preferred. Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Lorraine Joan (Iverson) Rykhus was born December 10, 1925 to Floyd and Hazel Irene (Miller) Iverson in Springfield Township, Cottonwood County, Minnesota. She was baptized September 16, 1927. Lorraine graduated from Westbrook High School in 1943. Lorraine and her family lived on a farm east of Windom until November 1935 when the family had a sale and moved to Westbrook. Her father built and started a new business – WXAX Filling Station. In 1936, Lorraine started attending Sunday School and church at Trinity Lutheran Church. After graduating high school, she left home and found work in Windom at the Silver Dime Café. Lorraine started work at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in February 1944. She was promoted to supervisor and trained fellow employees. In 1949, Lorraine was transferred to Shakopee as Evening Chief Operator. In 1954, she was transferred to Tracy as Chief Operator. Lorraine met a farmer, Dale Herbert Rykhus, in March 1955 at a dance. Six months later the dance continued for a lifetime – 68 years. On November 12, 1955, Lorraine and Dale were married at Westbrook Trinity Lutheran Church. Lorraine left the telephone company and joined Dale with the work on the farm. They selected a passage of scripture from 1 Corinthians 13: “So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love”, which was used in their wedding and included on the front of both of their Celebration of Life folders. They joined a new church in Garvin just being built. A new church and a new marriage – how great! Five children – Sandy, Mary, John, Joan and David – were welcomed into their home. She was busy with different activities: teaching Sunday School and Bible Study, Circle Leader, President of Women (WELCA). As the children reached age 9, they joined 4-H. Then the family added more jobs to their list: Project Leader, Leader and then came county fairs. Lorraine and Dale moved to town on January 1, 2007 where they lived when Dale passed away January 11, 2024.
Leaving to mourn are Lorraine’s children: Sandy (Roger) Polkow, Mary (Bill) Baune, John (Jill Meiling), Joan (David Bierman & David (Janis Hinkey); grandchildren: Dustin, Tom & Craig Polkow, Jason’s widow Amy (Cody) Hastings, Steven & Christy (Vern Walker) Baune, Jenna (Tony) Correa, Jamie (Brandon) Weber, Chase (Anna) & Nathan (Mikayla) Bierman, Michael & Nicholas Hinkey, and Stephanie (Matt) Benz; great-grandchildren: Cadence, Jaden, Giselle, Josie & Maverick Polkow, Joshua & Izzy Walker, Tessa, Lila & Briah Correa, Emery Weber, Corbyn Bierman, Abby, Jack & Marshall Rhubee, Elsie, Dakota & Misty Quade, Simon, Samuel & Sadie Benz; great-great-grandson Sky Daniel; sisters-in-law: Lorraine Froehlich & Deallis Rykhus; and many other relatives & friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Dale, grandson Jason Baune; sibling Eugene (Doris) Iverson, nephew Paul Thiel, and brothers-in-law: Robert Rykhus, Carl (Darlene) Thiel & Herb Froehlich.
