Community Remembers Julie Lustfield at Upcoming Memorial Service

Julie Lustfield, a cherished member of her community, passed away on October 6, 2025, at MercyOne in Mason City, Iowa. Her life, marked by deep faith and community involvement, will be honored at a memorial service scheduled for 14:00 on October 18, 2025, at First Lutheran Church in Algona. A visitation will take place one hour prior to the service.

Born on November 28, 1945, to Henry and Ethelyn (Erickson) DeKnikker in Volga, South Dakota, Julie spent her formative years in the area, where she received her early education. After graduating from high school in 1963, she attended South Dakota State University in Brookings to further her studies.

Julie’s personal life included a marriage to Richard Wakeman in January 1965. The couple later relocated to Lake Mills in 1975, where Julie began her career at the Winnebago Co-Op Telephone Company. They returned to Brookings in 1993, and she continued her professional journey at Northwestern Energy until her retirement in 2008. Following her divorce from Richard, Julie found love again and married Larry Lustfield on June 20, 1997, at GracePoint Wesleyan Methodist Church in Brookings.

After retiring, Julie and Larry moved to Tyler, Minnesota, where they embraced an active lifestyle that included extensive travel, with highlights such as cruises to the Bahamas and Alaska, as well as numerous trips across the continental United States.

A devoted member of her church, Julie actively participated in community services and outreach programs. In Tyler, she attended First English Lutheran Church and was involved with the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (WELCA). After relocating to Algona in 2020, she became a member of First Lutheran Church and worked briefly at Bear Care. Her personal interests included playing cards, sewing, listening to country-western music, and sharing homegrown produce from her garden.

Julie is survived by her children, Kristine (Vern) Laubenthal of Wesley and Michaela Kathleen (Rosemary Kosmatka) Culhane of Superior, Wisconsin. She leaves behind grandchildren Sarah Wakeman, Tyler (Chelsey) Laubenthal, and Brett Laubenthal, along with a great-grandchild expected in November 2025. Julie is also survived by her sister, Marta (Rod) Neuman of Pierre, South Dakota, stepchildren Robert Lustfield, Steve Lustfield, and Monica Kinner, as well as numerous step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Larry Lustfield; stepchild Valerie Lustfield; grandson Stephen Wakeman; and siblings Dennis DeKnikker and Diane Gunderson.

Friends and family are invited to leave online condolences at www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com. Julie Lustfield’s legacy of kindness and community service will be remembered by all who knew her.