Cleo Pistulka

Cleo J. Pistulka, age 77, of Willmar, died Saturday, December 27, at his home following a battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 30, at the Church of St. Mary in Willmar. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Willmar V.F.W. and Seaforth American Legion Posts. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Monday at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar with 7 p.m. parish prayers and Knights of Columbus rosary service. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church.

Cleo John Pistulka was born June 15, 1931, in Seaforth, Minnesota, to Stephen and Susan (Bernardy) Pistulka. He grew up in the Seaforth community and graduated from St. Anne's Catholic School in Wabasso. In 1949, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during the Korean Conflict until his honorable discharge in 1954. In 1962, he married Rose Marie Dobmeier and they lived and farmed in Seaforth. In 1969, they moved to Willmar with their family. Cleo worked for the U.S. Postal Service until his retirement in 1992. He then worked part-time at the recycling center. Cleo was an active member of the Church of St. Mary and the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the American Legion Post in Seaforth. Cleo enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting.

He is survived by his wife, Rose Marie; four children, Francis (and Paula) Pistulka of Atwater, Lori Pistulka of Glenrock, Wyoming; Julie (and Jim) Seeman of Buffalo, Wyoming, and Jim (and Kari) Pistulka of Shakopee; six grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. Also surviving are three brothers, Fr. Celestine Pistulka of Sleepy Eye, Cletus (and Marlys) Pistulka of Rosemount, and Emery (and Bernadine) Pistulka of Vesta; two sisters, Colette (and Richard) Irlbeck of Redwood Falls and Felicitas Rohlik of Tucson, Arizona; several nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law, David Rohlik.