Earl Borsheim

Earl Jennings Borsheim, age 96, of Wheaton, MN passed away Thursday, January 4, 2018 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton, MN.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, January 9, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Michael Breach officiating. Organist will be Theresa Thiel and soloist will be Dennis Johnson.

Visitation will be held Monday, January 8th from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church. Visitation will continue Tuesday morning one hour prior to service time at the church.

Interment will be in Wildwood Cemetery. Honorary Pallbearers will be Ralph and Diane Lupkes. Active Pallbearers will be Jason Lupkes, Chad Borsheim, Chris Lupkes, Kim Borsheim, Darrin Lupkes and Erik Rikimoto.

Earl was born on February 12, 1921 in Sperling, Manitoba to Eilert and Ellen (Riordan) Borsheim. He grew up the second in a family of ten children in Sperling, where his family farmed and owned an implement dealership. He attended Oak Grove High School in Fargo, N.D. and joined the North Dakota Army National Guard. His National Guard unit was activated in 1942 and Earl was sent to the Pacific Theatre of WWII where he would spend the next three years fighting in Guadalcanal, Bougainville and the Philippines with the 164th Infantry Regiment. During the war, Earl's family relocated to Wheaton, MN and he joined them there upon his discharge from the Army in 1945.

Earl and Francis Arlene Lupkes were married on January 5, 1946 in Breckenridge, MN. They spent over seventy years together and made their home, raised their family and farmed in rural Wheaton. Earl was still helping his son Eugene plant and harvest crops into his nineties. It was an injury sustained from a fall in June of 2015 that led to his move from the farm and into nursing care where he remained until his death.

Earl loved his family and his farm. His life was spent tending to his beautiful farmyard and doting over nieces and nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; he was beloved by them in return. His grandchildren loved to hear him recite the poetry he had memorized as a child and they would join him in the basement to listen to gospel records he played on his phonograph. He enjoyed hosting large family gatherings at the farm, and there were many over the years to celebrate birthdays and holidays. To those who knew him Earl was "the favorite uncle"; kind and gentle and wise; a listener; humble and spiritual. He will be lovingly remembered and sorely missed.

Earl is survived by his wife, Fran; son Eugene (Christeen) Borsheim of Wheaton, MN; grandchildren: Carlin (Stuart) Black and their children Marcus and Miles, Mt. Pleasant, MI; Wyatt (Tiffany) Borsheim and their children Louise and Wyatt Jr., Virginia Beach, VA; Rachel Appel and her children Mallory and Lyla, Sartell, MN; siblings: Harold Borsheim, Palm Springs, CA; Joyce Rutter, Saskatoon, SK; and many, many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Earl was preceded in death by his young son, Arthur; his parents; siblings: Lewis, Arthur, Lee, Glenn, Waldo, Frank and Dorothy; brothers- and sisters-in-laws; nieces and nephews.