Luverne W. Koelsch

Luverne W. Koelsch age 86, of Litchfield, formerly of Dassel and Zumbrota died on Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Minneapolis. The funeral service is scheduled for Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 10:00 AM at the Mahn Family Funeral Home - Larson Chapel in Zumbrota with Reverend Keith Carlson officiating. Visitation is one hour prior to the service. Spring burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery.
Luverne Woodrow Koelsch was born on February 13, 1924 in Milaca, MN to Arthur and Mabel (nee Rudisell) Koelsch. He grew up in rural Douglas and Pine Island. Luverne started working for Rochester Dairy Co-op. On September 14, 1943 he entered the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS Wichita during World War II and was honorably discharged on April 15, 1946. He returned to the PI area and on June 14, 1947 he married June Marie "Violet" Stiller in Zumbrota. They made their home in Zumbrota and Luverne worked for Nerhaugen Chevrolet and ran the Mobil Gas Station for seven years. In 1970 they moved to Dassel and Luverne worked for several companies as a truck mechanic in road construction. He retired in 1986 from the Johnson Construction Co. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, boating, traveling and camping. Luverne was a member of Stary-Yerka VFW Post #5727 in Zumbrota, Navy Club of the USA and Operating Engineers Local #49. Luverne is survived by his children, Lowell (Patty) Koelsch of Zumbrota; daughter, Valerie (Mike) Woiak of Houlton, WI; wife, June Marie "Violet" Koelsch of Cannon Falls; grandchildren, Krista (Bob) Rowe of Zumbrota and Andrew Koelsch of Rochester; great grandchildren, Jamie and Dylon Rowe of Zumbrota; siblings, Bonabel Knutson of Zumbrota, Milton Koelsch of Hopkins, Thayne "Charlie" Koelsch of Pine Island and Mardell (Harold) Zuercher of Waunakee, WI. Luverne was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Mabel; sisters-in-law, Lula Mae Koelsch and Donna Koelsch and brother-in-law, Clarence Knutson.