Elmer Lupkes

Elmer Enno Lupkes died peacefully with family on Thursday, August 6, 2015 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton, Minnesota. Funeral Service for Elmer Lupkes will be held Monday, August 10, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton with Rev. Michael Breach officiating. Organist will be Sara Rinke with special music by Dennis Johnson. Interment will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, rural Wheaton. Pallbearers will be Eric Lund, Joel Lund, Mark Lund, Adam Sprengeler, Tyler Wilts, Chris Strautz and Andrea Strautz. Honorary Pallbearers will be all of Elmer's nieces and nephews. Military Honors will be provided by the Merton-Dale American Legion Post #80. Visitation will be held Sunday, August 9th from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a 6:00 p.m. Time of Sharing at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton. Visitation will continue Monday morning one hour prior to service time at the church. Elmer was born on September 23, 1925 in Dike, Iowa, the tenth of twelve children born to George Sr. and Jennie (Barkhoff) Lupkes. The family moved to Wheaton when Elmer was about two years old. He was baptized into the Christian faith at St. John Lutheran on July 22, 1928 and confirmed his faith at St. John Lutheran on April 27, 1941. He attended School District 39 in rural Wheaton. When he was seven years old he went early every morning to the school and lit the wood burning stove so the schoolroom would be nice and toasty for the teacher and the students. With the money he earned doing this chore every morning he bought his very own pocket watch in which he had his initials engraved on the back. He has always kept this special watch. He worked on the family farm, raising crops and milking cows until he was drafted into the U.S. Navy at the age of eighteen. He was stationed at Camp Perry, where he contracted rheumatic fever. Once he recovered he was not able to go overseas. Elmer was sent to Oakland, California where he loaded ships. He was honorably discharged after WWII ended. After the Navy he returned to the family farm in Wheaton. On March 31, 1951 Elmer and Dorothy (Byman) were married at the Covenant Church Parsonage by Reverend Jacobson. To this union three daughters were born: LuAnn, Susan and Janet. Even though he never had a son of his own he ended up with very special sons-in-law, five grandsons and one favorite granddaughter. Elmer made his living as a grain and livestock farmer until a heart attack in 1980 caused him to retire earlier than planned. During the time he farmed, Elmer served on the Wheaton Co-op Creamery Board, The Wheaton Elevator Board, and was an Elder and Trustee at St. John Lutheran Church. He was only fifty-seven when he retired due to his heart condition, but we are eternally grateful that he was able to live a normal and full life and watched his grandchildren grow up and make many cherished memories. Elmer and Dorothy moved into town where they spent their retirement years. Elmer loved his Lord, his family and his friends. He enjoyed the time he spent with them and his six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. One of his hobbies was keeping the birds and squirrels well fed outside his dining room window. His annual hunting trips to Northern Minnesota were something he always looked forward to. Elmer was called "The General" at the old hunting shack. The family has many great memories of the times spent at Elmer and Dorothy's cabin on Lake Traverse. He had a very contagious smile and when he entered the Traverse Care Center in 2013 his smile was mentioned to him and his family every single time they visited. The employees and residents adored his smile. Left to cherish his memory is his wife Dorothy (Byman) Lupkes of Wheaton; his daughters: LuAnn (Wayne) Lund of Maplewood, MN; Susan (Keith) Wilts of Wheaton; and Janet (Rick) Scherer of Osseo, MN. Grandchildren: Eric (Brooke) Lund; Joel Lund; Mark (Jamie) Lund; Andrea (Christopher) Strautz; Adam (Stacy) Sprengeler; Tyler Wilts. Great grandchildren: Brennan and Cailin Strautz; and Grace Lund; his brother: Oscar (Merlita) Lupkes; sisters: Frances (Earl) Borsheim; and Irene Kaul; and many nieces and nephews. Elmer was preceded in death by his parents: George Sr. and Jennie Lupkes; brothers: Ole, Fred and George Jr. Lupkes; sisters: Christina Hernvall, Tillie Koci, Hilka Schmidtke, Mary Mueller and Jeanette Olson.

---

Visitation

St. John Lutheran Church

• Sunday, August 09, 2015
• 04:00 PM - 07:00 PM
• Email Details
• 1603 Broadway
  Wheaton, MN 56296

Directions

---

Funeral Service

St. John Lutheran Church

• Monday, August 10, 2015
• 11:00 AM
• Email Details
• 1603 Broadway
  Wheaton, MN 56296

Directions