Ann F. Hamilton, age 95, of Kimball died Friday, February 17, 2017 at Lakeside Healthcare in Dassel.

Funeral Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 20, 2017 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Kimball with Rev. David Milz officiating. Visitation will be held 4-7 p.m. Sunday at Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Kimball and one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. Burial will take place at Forest City Cemetery, Litchfield.

Ann Frances Hamilton was born April 15, 1921 to Frank and Frances (Smolniker) Burgstaler in Aitkin, Minnesota. She grew up on her parents’ farm in Dean Lake Township, with her eight brothers and sisters. Ann attended Dean Brook and Dean Lake Schools. She was united in marriage to Rudolph Rantasha on September 27, 1941 in Crosby. Rudolph died serving our country during World War II. On December 7, 1953, she was united in marriage to Ernest E. Hamilton in Santa Ana, California. She lived in Laguna Beach before returning to Minnesota and settled on a farm in Ellsworth Township, Meeker County, where she started mink ranching. They were blessed with two children, Greg and Cory. In January of 1960, they moved to Kingston Township where they resumed raising mink until 1971. Ann was also a freelance writer for over 35 years for Tri-County News of Kimball. Ann was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kingston where she was a Sunday school teacher, on the church council and active in the ladies group. Ann was also active in the Kingston Johnson Kelly American Legion Post #483 Auxiliary, Kingston Ladies Group, Kimball Senior Citizens, Darwin Town & Country Club, Augustana Homes Auxiliary of Litchfield and was a 4H leader in Kingston. Ann also volunteered her time at the Emmaus Gift Shop, the St. Cloud Veterans Medical Center and Northwest Services of the Meeker County Red Cross. In 1992 Ann was awarded the Meeker County Outstanding Senior Citizen.  In her spare time, Ann enjoyed tending to her gardens, flowers, taking care of her yard, and doing handiwork. She spent many winters in Arizona and California. She liked to travel across the United States, as well as to foreign countries. She also liked the time she spent with her family in Canada fishing.

Ann is survived by her children Greg (Valerie) Hamilton of Appleton, WI and Cory Hamilton-Burrows (Charlie Burrows) of Inver Grove Heights; five grandchildren Molly and Emma Hamilton, Nick, Max and Sam Burrows; great grandchild Willow Young; siblings Vickie McCollum of Oceanside, CA, Ollie DeYoung of Henderson, NV, Rudy (Joyce) Burgstaler of Kimball and Ed (Helen) Burgstaler of Aitkin. She was preceded in death by her husbands  Rudolph Rantasha in 1945 and Ernest Hamilton in 1974; children Rudolph Leroy Rantasha and Marlene Ann Rantasha; siblings Pete Burgstaler, Frank Burgstaler, John Burgstaler, Sylvia Sabart and Veronica Deblock.

The casket bearers will be Lyle Burgstaler, Molly and Emma Hamilton, Nick, Max and Sam Burrows. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Kimball.

 Service Information