Memorial Donations

Obituary for Marlyn Hempel

Donations by check may be sent to: MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. With all donations, please note that it is made in memory of Audrey so we may inform her family of your generosity. Thank you!

In Memory of Marlyn Hempel

Everyone at the Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation wishes to send our deepest sympathy to Lauren, Aaron, and the rest of Marlyn’s family on his passing on 12/25/23. Marlyn was a long-time friend and supporter of MHARF, having fostered many horses, ponies, and mules for us over the years (see below for article featured in Princeton Town and County news in 2016). His patience, kindness and knowledge helped many animals recover from neglectful and abusive situations and allowed them to go on to find great new adoptive homes. We are truly thankful to be honored and chosen as recipient of donations in Marlyn’s memory.

“It means a lot to Marlyn and his family that he can do one last act for the MHARF.” -Aaron Hempel (grandson)

Donations by check may be sent to: MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. With all donations, please note that it is made in memory of Marlyn so we may inform his family of your generosity. Thank you!

In Memory of Mary Agnes Blanchard

We are honored to be listed as recipient for donations in memory of Mary Agnes Blanchard (11/28/51 -11/10/23). Mary was a true horsewoman and loved nothing more than spending time in the barn and in the showring. We wish to extend our deepest sympathy to her family and friends. View Mary’s Obituary

Donations in Mary’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note of whom the donation is in memory so we can inform Mary’s family of your generosity. If you need assistance, please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

Donate through Venmo @mnhoovedanimalrescue

Once again, thank you so much to Mary’s family, friends, and loved ones for thinking of us at this time. The Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation is grateful to have received donations in Mary’s memory from the following people: Darlene Helmann, Jeff Blanchard, and Gail Foss.

In Memory of Lisa Brisse

We are honored to have been chosen as a recipient of donations in memory of Lisa Brisse. Lisa, who was a friend and supporter of MHARF, was a life-long horsewoman who began her journey with rescued horses in 1982 with a malnourished orphan filly named Little Miss. She later wrote about this journey in her book, The Ride of Our Life – Lessons in Faith, Love, and Wisdom from a Magical Horse.

Obituary for Gail Smokovitz

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Donations by personal check can be made out to MHARF and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Please be sure to note in the memo section that the donation is made in Lisa’s memory. Thank you!

“Family and friends will gather on Friday, June 2nd from 3:00-8:00 p.m. at the Lions Community
Park in Richmond, Minnesota to celebrate the life of Lisa Brisse, who passed away on Tuesday,
April 4th in Santa Monica, California, after a three-and-a-half-year journey with cancer. Lisa’s
loved ones will also gather to remember her on May 21st at 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Palisades Park in
Santa Monica.
Lisa was a brilliant light to all who knew and loved her. She lived her life with extraordinary
energy, focused intention, and a passionate desire to help others become their best selves, a
mission she fulfilled in part through her professional work as an exercise physiologist, wellness
coach, meditation teacher, Spinning® instructor, author, speaker, and founder of State of the
Heart Fitness in Santa Monica, California. Lisa also expressed her purpose through deep
commitments to her own growth and healing, to treating others with kindness, generosity, and
compassion, and to sharing her joy, playfulness, laughter, fun, music, dancing, and silliness with
everyone she met.
Born on May 21, 1969, in Richmond, Minnesota, Lisa spent her childhood playing outdoors with
her friends, her extended family of cousins, and the many animals who were part of her family.
Throughout her life, Lisa felt a deep connection with horses. When she was thirteen, Lisa
rescued Little Miss, a malnourished little orphaned yearling filly who, with her family’s care,
grew into the beautiful, magical white horse whose unconditional love and spiritual lessons
helped Lisa become the loving, wise, compassionate, and joyful person so deeply loved and
missed by her family, friends, clients, students, readers, and many others in California,
Minnesota, and elsewhere around the world.
After graduating from Rocori High School in 1987, one of the top ten students in her class and a
member of the Rocori Spartans girls’ basketball team, Lisa attended St. Cloud State University
and, after moving to California in 1989, she transferred with a full academic scholarship to
Pepperdine University in the fall of 1990, graduating in 1993 with a B. S. in Sports Medicine.
Lisa began her professional career at the world-renowned Pritikin Longevity Center in Santa
Monica. In 2001, after seven years as an exercise physiologist at Pritikin, Lisa founded State of
the Heart Fitness, where she and her team offered a holistic, heart-centered approach to health
and wellness, strengthening the body, mind, and spirit through exercise classes, personal training,
wellness and nutritional coaching, as well as retreats, hikes, and group trips to Peru, where Lisa
led treks up the Inca Trail to the sacred site of Machu Picchu, a place that held profound spiritual
significance for her. Lisa’s lifelong passion for travel also took her to Europe (where she
especially loved the Greek Islands), Australia, Bali, Thailand, the Philippines, Mexico, and
Central America.
An enthusiastic, dedicated, and prolific writer, Lisa had kept a journal since she was 12 and
eventually published two books, Michael Jackson: The Man in our Mirror – A Reflection of Our
Collective Soul (2014), the remarkable story of her lifelong spiritual connection with the pop
superstar, and The Ride of Our Life – Lessons in Faith, Love, and Wisdom from a Magical Horse,
Book One: The Early Years (2021), which explores the many awakenings and life lessons that
came to Lisa through her deep spiritual relationship with her beloved horse Little Miss.

Lisa wrote and spoke extensively about her journey with cancer, using her Facebook posts and
video updates to chronicle her experiences. She saw her health challenges as opportunities to
deepen her self-exploration, healing, growth, and spiritual awakening. Her eloquence,
vulnerability, wisdom, courage, and spiritual insight touched and healed so many who followed
her journey.
Along with the ongoing support she received from her family and her extensive network of
friends near and far, Lisa was sustained through every phase of her journey by her dear friends
and caregivers, Stacey Whittle, Gigi Sutila, and Jenifer Gaffaney Swartzentruber, who blessed
Lisa with their unwavering devotion, energy, faith, and love as they cared for her body, mind,
and spirit on a daily basis.
Lisa is survived by her parents, Allen and Judi Brisse, her brother Eric and nephew Mathew, her
stepmother Monique Waters, and many loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Lisa will always be with us as we live in gratitude for the gifts of her light and love in our lives.”

Purchase Lisa’s Book on Amazon

The Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation is grateful to have received donations in Lisa’s memory from: Kathleen Kastner, Stacey Whittle, Allison Lee, Kathryn Allison, Elizabeth Dinerstein, Allen Brisse, Marie Plasse, Diana Krekic, Richard Newman, Healing Trauma Center (Los Angeles), Judi Brisse, Kerry Hennigan, Nancy Messina, Gigi Sutila, Kristen Krentz, Marjorie Plasse, Peter and Claudia Sego, Ellen Longsworth, Helaine Razovsky, Mary Baine Campbell, Kerry Johnson, Mary Nicolini, Elizabeth DeAngelis, Narina Arutyunova, Dorla Hulse, David Lam, Marie Bro, Jean O’Loughlin Avdul, Cheryl Kling, Nadine Storms, Natalie Bruyette, Marla Ludwig, Christina Privette, Brian Rogers, Hari Simran Ayurveda, Rita Bosico, Sally Blazar

In Memory of Gail Smokovitz

Everyone at the MN Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation would like to offer our sincerest condolences to Gail’s family, loved ones, and friends. Gail, who passed away on 01/12/22, was a life-long animal lover and an accomplished horsewoman, most notably a champion barrel bender. Thank you to Gail’s son Jacob and the rest of the family for directing memorial donations to MHARF, among several other worthy rescue organizations.

Donations in Gail’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

Donate through Network for Good,

Click Here to view the list of memorial donations received.

Once again, thank you so much to Gail’s family, friends, and loved ones for thinking of us at this time.

In Memory of Lonna K. Smith

The Minnesota Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation is honored to be listed as recipient for donations in memory of Lonna K. Smith, who passed away on 12/06/21. Lonna was a kind and compassionate animal lover who had a life-long dream of adopting a horse. Our hearts go out to all of Lonna’s family and friends.

Donations in Lonna’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

Obituary for Lonna K. Smith

Click Here to view the list of memorial donations received.

Once again, thank you so much to Lonna’s friends and loved ones for thinking of us at this time.

In Memory of Joy Wuestenhagen

Joy A. Wuestenhagen

Everyone at the MN Hooved Animal Rescue Foundation would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Joy’s family and friends. Joy, who had adopted several horses from us, was a long-time supporter and friend to MHARF. We are touched to have been chosen as one of the recipients of charitable donations in her memory.

Obituary for Joy A. Wuestenhagen

Donations in Joy’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

Click Here to View List of Memorial Donations Received

Once again, thank you so much to Joy’s loved ones for thinking of us at this time.

In Memory of Vernon A. Pederson

“A cowboy at heart, Vernon was also a fan of horse racing, raising horses on his hobby farm near Downer, MN, and watching them race. He loved horses as much or more than the racing, as he would often visit the horses and bring them toys/treats.”

All of us at MHARF wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Vernon’s family and friends on the loss of this life-long horseman. We are honored to have been chosen as the recipient of memorial donations.

Obituary for Vernon A. Pederson

Donations in Vernon’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

View Sandy’s Obituary Here

Once again, thank you so much to Vernon’s loved ones for thinking of us at this time.

In Memory of Sandra Ness Aunan

Sandy Aunan was a lifelong horse lover and former breeder, owner, and competitor of American Quarter Horses. She spent many years as an active member of the MN Quarter Horse Association in Region 4, Secretary of the MN Quarter Horse Futurities, and Secretary of many quarter horse shows throughout the state. Horses and the horse community brought great joy and purpose into her life.

All of us at MHARF wish to extend our deepest sympathy to Sandy’s family and friends on the loss of this kind, life-long horsewoman. We are honored to have been chosen as the recipient of memorial donations.

Donations in Sandy’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.

Obituary for Gerry (Monk) Shea

Once again, thank you so much to Sandy’s loved ones for thinking of us at this time.

In Memory of Gerry (Monk) Shea

Gerry (Monk) Shea

Everyone at MHARF wants to extend our deepest sympathy to Gerry’s family and friends on the loss of this wonderful woman. We are honored to have been chosen as the recipient of memorial donations.

Donations in Gerry’s memory can be made by check and mailed to MHARF, PO Box 47, Zimmerman, MN 55398. Or you can donate through one of our secure online donation options below. Please remember to note whom the donation is in memory of and we will inform the family of your generosity. If you need assistance please feel free to Contact Us. We are always happy to help.