Taps

“Taps” is a listing of brief obituaries in The Minnesota Legionnaire featuring Minnesota American Legion members who have transferred to Post Everlasting. It is a way to honor and recognize their service to the community, state and nation.

It is not for all dearly departed veterans — just deceased American Legion members. Contact Editor Tim Engstrom at 651-424-4612 or tengstrom@mnlegion.org with questions.

Submit Taps Entry

Taps

Karst, John F.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
10/02/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
48
Post:
Coon Rapids Post 334

Kapischke, Dennis R.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
09/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
57
Post:
Waseca Post 228

Isensee, James H.

Age:
98
Date of Death:
08/01/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
68
Post:
Red Wing Post 54

Zachow, Roman A. “Red”

Age:
97
Date of Death:
09/12/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
72
Post:
Gaylord Post 433

Yort, Edward E.

Age:
84
Date of Death:
06/19/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
21
Post:
Minneapolis-Richfield Post 435

Woelfel, Lenus E.

Age:
90
Date of Death:
09/13/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
59
Post:
Bloomington Viking Post 493

Wipplinger, Arthur J.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
08/17/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
30
Post:
Albert Lea Post 56

Whittaker, Russell J.

Age:
96
Date of Death:
08/26/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
40
Post:
Waconia Post 150

Welsh, Larry D.

Age:
85
Date of Death:
10/08/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
53
Post:
Albert Lea Post 56

Warke, Eugene O.

He was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II.

Age:
96
Date of Death:
08/21/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
78
Post:
New Richland Post 75

Toppin, Maurice H.

Age:
95
Date of Death:
08/08/2023
Branch of Military:
Marines
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
76
Post:
Blue Earth Post 89

Thrune, Eugene N.

He served in the Philippines and at various bases in the United States.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
08/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Army & Air Force
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
6
Post:
Winona Post 9

Thompson, Harold E.

Age:
86
Date of Death:
08/18/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Cold
Cont. Years:
11
Post:
Waite Park Post 428

Temple, Fred P.

Age:
88
Date of Death:
08/28/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
40
Post:
Elk River Post 112

Sutherland, William L.

Date of Death:
07/15/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Lebanon/Grenada
Cont. Years:
16
Post:
Anoka Post 102

Sullivan, Leo J.

Age:
90
Date of Death:
07/20/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
27
Post:
Springfield Post 257

Stevens, Eugene C.

Date of Death:
09/26/2023
Branch of Military:
unknown
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
44
Post:
Anoka Post 102

Sorteberg, Robert M.

He is a past president of the St. Paul Clown Club and participated in the Twin Cities Honor Flight.

Age:
93
Date of Death:
06/20/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
39
Post:
Rosetown Post 542

Smith, Terry J. “Tar”

Age:
77
Date of Death:
09/03/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
8
Post:
Wheaton Post 80

Skare, Donald O.

Age:
87
Date of Death:
08/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Marines
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
43
Post:
Willmar Post 158

Smith, Cornelia L. “Connie”

She served in the Army Nurse Corps with the 204th general hospital on Saipan and Guam.

Age:
100
Date of Death:
09/22/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
24
Post:
Madison Post 158

Shelland, John D.

Age:
84
Date of Death:
09/19/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
6
Post:
Rosetown Post 542

Shaner, Dean M.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
08/17/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
31
Post:
Storden Post 391

Roloff, Norman C.

Age:
102
Date of Death:
08/13/2023
Branch of Military:
Coast Guard
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
78
Post:
Winona Post 9

Roessler, Thomas

Age:
72
Date of Death:
08/16/2023
Branch of Military:
Army Reserve
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
39
Post:
St. Peter Post 37

Robinson, Ronald D.

He was a past post commander.

Age:
82
Date of Death:
08/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Marines
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
32
Post:
Springfield Post 257

Potuzak, Lumir J. “Pete”

Age:
91
Date of Death:
08/14/2023
Branch of Military:
Marines
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
73
Post:
Foley Post 298

Peltier, Rodney R.

Age:
94
Date of Death:
02/28/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
36
Post:
Hugo Post 620

Peka, Everett M.

Age:
91
Date of Death:
07/01/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
57
Post:
Coon Rapids Post 334

Novak, Mark A.

He was a former mayor of Janesville.

Age:
74
Date of Death:
08/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
13
Post:
Janesville Post 281

Mueller, Larry A.

Age:
79
Date of Death:
09/12/2023
Branch of Military:
unknown
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
11
Post:
Danube Post 227

Melkert, Kevin A.

Age:
61
Date of Death:
08/16/2023
Branch of Military:
Army National Guard
Era:
Lebanon/Grenada
Cont. Years:
16
Post:
Breckenridge Post 53

Maxa, Emil J. “Max”

He served as a parachute rigger at Fairchild AFB in Washington state.

Age:
83
Date of Death:
09/02/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
54
Post:
Montgomery Post 79

Marcus, Calvin

Age:
87
Date of Death:
07/29/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
6
Post:
Raymond Post 420

Malmgren, Timothy E.

He served as a military policeman.

Age:
73
Date of Death:
07/16/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
19
Post:
Parkers Prairie Post 219

Lorenz, Robert W.

Age:
99
Date of Death:
09/11/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
35
Post:
Anoka Post 102

Long, Daniel G.

Age:
91
Date of Death:
02/20/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Korea & Vietnam
Cont. Years:
51
Post:
Pillager Post 100

Livingston, William J.

He served in artillery. His uniform is in the museum for Yellow Medicine County. (He previously belonged to other posts.) He is a past post commander. His father and son were also post commanders.

Age:
91
Date of Death:
08/19/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
69
Post:
Delano Post 377

Livingston, Paul R.

He served two tours in Vietnam as a radio operator.

Age:
76
Date of Death:
08/01/2023
Branch of Military:
Marines
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
9
Post:
Porter Post 457

Lanners, Henry C.

He served aboard the USS William R. Rush. He was a radarman.

Age:
93
Date of Death:
08/14/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
69
Post:
Minneapolis Gopher Post 440

Knaak, David D.

Age:
77
Date of Death:
07/28/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
56
Post:
Lewisville Post 561

Klein, Donald C.

Age:
91
Date of Death:
08/27/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
54
Post:
Lake City Post 110

Klaustermeier, Duane F.

Nicknamed “Dewey,” he served as post finance officer and as a member of the honor guard.

Age:
86
Date of Death:
08/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
19
Post:
Glencoe Post 95

Kasper, Charles E.

Age:
88
Date of Death:
09/02/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
38
Post:
Montgomery Post 79

Jacobs, Charles D.

Age:
85
Date of Death:
09/05/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Cold
Cont. Years:
3
Post:
Waite Park Post 428

Himmelspach, James J.

Age:
84
Date of Death:
07/26/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Cold
Cont. Years:
16
Post:
Raymond Post 420

Heveron, Allan R.

Age:
83
Date of Death:
08/31/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
10
Post:
Willmar Post 167

Hellman, Gerald M.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
07/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
45
Post:
Monticello Post 260

Hanson, Caren W.

Age:
82
Date of Death:
08/08/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
7
Post:
Benson Post 62

Gronseth, James H.

He served in the 34th Medical Battalion of the 27th Regiment, part of the 25th Infantry Division. His MASH was near the DMZ in Korea.

Age:
90
Date of Death:
09/11/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
58
Post:
Hayfield Post 330

Getz, Dennis L.

Age:
67
Date of Death:
08/12/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
44
Post:
Hutchinson Post 96

Geiger, LeRoy H.

He served in England, Scotland and Libya. (Interestingly, Wheelus Air Base outside Tripoli was once the largest U.S. overseas base. In 1970, the base closed and was turned over to the Libyan government.)

Age:
85
Date of Death:
08/25/2023
Branch of Military:
Air Force
Era:
Cold
Cont. Years:
48
Post:
New Prague Post 45

Gall, Robert J.

He was a cook, and he was stationed in Washington state and Alaska.

Age:
85
Date of Death:
07/25/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Cold
Cont. Years:
55
Post:
Hillman Post 602

Frank, David E.

He served as the elected treasurer of Faribault County for 25 years.

Age:
82
Date of Death:
08/04/2023
Branch of Military:
Army National Guard
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
38
Post:
Blue Earth Post 89

Engle, Richard

Age:
84
Date of Death:
08/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Army National Guard

Douty, Joseph L.

He served with Battery Alpha, 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment, out of Pipestone in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He deployed again for Operation Iraqi Freedom with the Minnesota National Guard for 22 months, 16 of which were in a combat zone. This deployment is the longest in history for any unit of the National Guard. Later, he deployed as part of Operation New Dawn to Baghdad. He was among the last soldiers to leave Iraq.

Age:
47
Date of Death:
09/03/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
GWOT
Cont. Years:
14
Post:
Pipestone Post 6

Dorr, Luther J.

He served on the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Committee from 2018 to 2023 and was gambling manager for his post for many years. He spent three decades as editor of the Princeton Union-Eagle, including coverage of Post 216 Baseball. He is in the Minnesota American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame and the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.

Age:
81
Date of Death:
09/17/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
58
Post:
Princeton Post 216

Dean, Ralph J.

Age:
81
Date of Death:
03/21/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
44
Post:
Eyota Post 551

Davis, Raymond H.

Age:
78
Date of Death:
12/11/2022
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Panama
Cont. Years:
37
Post:
Coon Rapids Post 334

Cornelius, Kivden B.

He was stationed in Long Beach, Calif., then served in Vietnam aboard the destroyer USS Lynde McCormick.

Age:
73
Date of Death:
08/06/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
8
Post:
Eyota Post 551

Connelly, James W.

Age:
85
Date of Death:
09/02/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
35
Post:
Le Center Post 108

Carlson, Glenn H.

Age:
87
Date of Death:
06/05/2023
Branch of Military:
Navy
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
61
Post:
Minneapolis-Richfield Post 435

Beck, Shirley M.

Age:
81
Date of Death:
08/08/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
2
Post:
Winona Post 9

Bassett, George N.

He was a nationally known sculptor, especially with bronze work. He created the bronze busts of Hubert Humphrey, Martin Luther King Jr. and Sigurd Olson at the Minnesota State Capitol.

Age:
97
Date of Death:
07/23/2023
Branch of Military:
Army Air Forces
Era:
World War II
Cont. Years:
80
Post:
Blue Earth Post 89

Angst, Don L.

He was a squad leader in Vietnam.

Age:
86
Date of Death:
07/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
16
Post:
Winona Post 9

Anderson, Robert S.

Age:
76
Date of Death:
08/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Vietnam
Cont. Years:
11
Post:
Marshall Post 113

Bakken, Einar S.

Age:
94
Date of Death:
05/13/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
38
Post:
Roseau Post 24

Anderson, William P.

He served as a tank mechanic in the Korean War.

Age:
94
Date of Death:
04/11/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
Korea
Cont. Years:
48
Post:
Onamia Post 395

Adams, Dallas G.

He was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, during the war.

Age:
99
Date of Death:
01/24/2023
Branch of Military:
Army
Era:
WWII
Cont. Years:
75
Post:
Millville Valley Post 579

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After Taps are approved, they will remain on this page for 30 days.

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