The funeral for Lester E. Gatzke will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, with the Rev. James Rushton officiating. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery, Preston.
Mr. Gatzke, 91, formerly of the Preston and Wykoff area, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2008) in Burnsville, Minn.
He was born Aug. 9, 1917, in Carimona Township, Fillmore Township, and attended country school. He worked as a farmer and had his own sheep-shearing business. On March 7, 1941, he married Opal Dornink. The couple lived and farmed in the Wykoff and Preston areas. Mr. Gatzke also did carpentry work; he owned and operated Gatzke Mill Works until a tornado destroyed the business in May 1953. He then continued farming and raising feeder cattle.
He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff, and later Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. He had served on the Wykoff School Board for a time and was an elected Fillmore Township officer for many years. He was also a Fillmore County Commissioner and served as the Board's chairman during his final term.
Mr. Gatzke is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Wendell) Barnes of Wilton, Wis.; a son, Stan (Hattie) of Burnsville, Minn.; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Milo (Mary) of Byron; and a sister, Wanda (Richard) Schmidt of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his wife; an infant son, Dale; two brothers, Dale and Vernon; and a sister, Norma Lyngen.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston, and an hour before the service Monday at Christ Lutheran Church.
All memorials will be distributed to local charities.
Mr. Gatzke, 91, formerly of the Preston and Wykoff area, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2008) in Burnsville, Minn.
He was born Aug. 9, 1917, in Carimona Township, Fillmore Township, and attended country school. He worked as a farmer and had his own sheep-shearing business. On March 7, 1941, he married Opal Dornink. The couple lived and farmed in the Wykoff and Preston areas. Mr. Gatzke also did carpentry work; he owned and operated Gatzke Mill Works until a tornado destroyed the business in May 1953. He then continued farming and raising feeder cattle.
He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff, and later Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. He had served on the Wykoff School Board for a time and was an elected Fillmore Township officer for many years. He was also a Fillmore County Commissioner and served as the Board's chairman during his final term.
Mr. Gatzke is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Wendell) Barnes of Wilton, Wis.; a son, Stan (Hattie) of Burnsville, Minn.; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Milo (Mary) of Byron; and a sister, Wanda (Richard) Schmidt of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his wife; an infant son, Dale; two brothers, Dale and Vernon; and a sister, Norma Lyngen.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston, and an hour before the service Monday at Christ Lutheran Church.
All memorials will be distributed to local charities.
The funeral for Lester E. Gatzke will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, with the Rev. James Rushton officiating. Burial will be in Crown Hill Cemetery, Preston.
Mr. Gatzke, 91, formerly of the Preston and Wykoff area, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2008) in Burnsville, Minn.
He was born Aug. 9, 1917, in Carimona Township, Fillmore Township, and attended country school. He worked as a farmer and had his own sheep-shearing business. On March 7, 1941, he married Opal Dornink. The couple lived and farmed in the Wykoff and Preston areas. Mr. Gatzke also did carpentry work; he owned and operated Gatzke Mill Works until a tornado destroyed the business in May 1953. He then continued farming and raising feeder cattle.
He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff, and later Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. He had served on the Wykoff School Board for a time and was an elected Fillmore Township officer for many years. He was also a Fillmore County Commissioner and served as the Board's chairman during his final term.
Mr. Gatzke is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Wendell) Barnes of Wilton, Wis.; a son, Stan (Hattie) of Burnsville, Minn.; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Milo (Mary) of Byron; and a sister, Wanda (Richard) Schmidt of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his wife; an infant son, Dale; two brothers, Dale and Vernon; and a sister, Norma Lyngen.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston, and an hour before the service Monday at Christ Lutheran Church.
All memorials will be distributed to local charities.
Mr. Gatzke, 91, formerly of the Preston and Wykoff area, died Wednesday (Oct. 22, 2008) in Burnsville, Minn.
He was born Aug. 9, 1917, in Carimona Township, Fillmore Township, and attended country school. He worked as a farmer and had his own sheep-shearing business. On March 7, 1941, he married Opal Dornink. The couple lived and farmed in the Wykoff and Preston areas. Mr. Gatzke also did carpentry work; he owned and operated Gatzke Mill Works until a tornado destroyed the business in May 1953. He then continued farming and raising feeder cattle.
He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wykoff, and later Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spring Valley. He had served on the Wykoff School Board for a time and was an elected Fillmore Township officer for many years. He was also a Fillmore County Commissioner and served as the Board's chairman during his final term.
Mr. Gatzke is survived by a daughter, Patricia (Wendell) Barnes of Wilton, Wis.; a son, Stan (Hattie) of Burnsville, Minn.; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Milo (Mary) of Byron; and a sister, Wanda (Richard) Schmidt of Colorado. He was preceded in death by his wife; an infant son, Dale; two brothers, Dale and Vernon; and a sister, Norma Lyngen.
Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Thauwald Funeral Home in Preston, and an hour before the service Monday at Christ Lutheran Church.
All memorials will be distributed to local charities.
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