Alma Scherbart age 96 of Balaton passed away peacefully while surrounded by family and friends on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at the Colonial Manor in Balaton. Memorial services will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at the Methodist Church in Balaton. Visitation is 5:00-7:00 p.m. Saturday at the Tracy Area Funeral Home with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Sunday. Burial is in Lakeside Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com. Stephens Funeral Service – Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Alma Gladys Scherbart was born November 29, 1917 in Irene, South Dakota to Olaf and Ragna (Hill) Toft. She was baptized at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Irene, SD and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Balaton, MN. Alma attended District 100 country school, rural Balaton, and graduated from Balaton High School in 1937. On March 29, 1939 she married Valentine Harold Scherbart at her parents’ home in rural Balaton. Alma and Val made their home near Iron Lake, south of Balaton. They later moved to the Scherbart family farm, also south of Balaton. Alma farmed right alongside her husband. They retired from farming in 1975 and moved into Balaton. In 1979, they purchased a cabin on Marion Lake near Richville, MN and Alma spent countless hours fishing and enjoyed many summers at the lake. Val passed away in 1990, and Alma remained in her home until 2000 when she moved into an apartment in Balaton. Alma became a resident of Colonial Manor in May 2014 where she received exceptional, loving care. Alma was a member of the Balaton First United Methodist Church where she was active with the UMW, and held several offices in the church throughout the years. She enjoyed cooking, making ceramic items, crocheting and doing embroidery work. Alma loved playing card games and entertaining guests.

Alma is survived by her son Keith (Dianne) of Tracy; daughter Audrey (Bill) Stearns of Wadena; grandchildren: Kelley (Todd) Swan, Nancy (Jeff) Weyer, Mary (Bruce) DeGroat, Valerie (Tim) Quist, Monica (Ryan) Browne, Andrew (Jennifer) Stearns, and Preston (fiancée Susana) Stearns; great-grandchildren: Seth Swan, Alec Swan, Kellen & Molly Weyer, Sara & Morgan DeGroat, Jane Quist, and Cora Medina; great-great-granddaughter Emma Swan; and sister-in-law Phyllis Toft. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Val and five siblings: Olga Cass, Leo Toft, Gordon Toft, Kenny Toft, and Alene Lindahl.