1912
Palmer
2011
Palmer Gafkjen
April 1, 1912 — December 15, 2011
Palmer G. Gafkjen, 99, of Rochester, formerly of Sunburg, went to be with his Lord on Thursday, December 15 at the Stewartville Care Center in Stewartville, MN.
Services will be held at 1:30 P.M., Friday, December 23, at the Sunburg Community Bible Church. Interment will be in the Sunburg Free Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 P.M. Thursday at the Peterson Brothers Sunburg Funeral Home in Sunburg, MN, and at the church one hour prior to the service.
Palmer Garfield Gafkjen was born at his home in Sunburg, MN, on April 1, 1912 to Randine (Paaverud) and Hans Gafkjen. He attended rural school in Norway Lake Township where he grew up on the family farm. Palmer was married to Luella Agnes Freese on February 14, 1933 in a double wedding ceremony with Luella's brother Jack and Myrtle Freese. The couple lived on the family farm in Sunburg, which Palmer purchased from his dad in 1935. As a young man, Palmer was very fond of horses. He had 5 white horses he farmed with before replacing them with tractors. They lived and worked on the farm until retiring and moving into Sunburg. Palmer and Luella were blessed with four children. Palmer and Luella were close to celebrating 62 years of marriage before her death in 1995. Shortly after his wife's death, Palmer moved into the home of his son Ernest, where he lived until moving to the Stewartville Care Center in April 2011. After 99 years of talking, Palmer never could loose that strong Norwegian accent. Uffda and ya sure, were commonly heard. He was quick to laugh and loved to tease. Palmer shared many cups of coffee over the years. All those who were blessed to know him and sit across the table from him knew that his greatest treasure on this earth was his love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He enjoyed bible studies with his family and many friends in the area. He was a part of a music group called the Joyful Messengers who sang for church activities and rest home ministries
Survivors include a daughter, Florence (Robert) Botten of Sunburg, and sons; Harlan (Pat) Gafkjen of Broken Arrow, OK, Ernest (Janet) Gafkjen of Rochester, thirteen grandchildren; Diane Suter, Donna Moe, Rick Botten, Valerie Coleman, Vicki White, Christine Schultz, Michelle Sternberg, Natalie Fyles, Todd Gafkjen, Kelly Gafkjen, Eric Gafkjen, Ginny Jeche, and Jared Gafkjen, 26 great grandchildren, and 11 great great grandchildren.
Palmer is preceded in death by his parents Hans and Randine Gafkjen, his wife Luella, son Paul Lee in 1970, grandson Kevin Gafkjen, and 9 siblings Selmer, Rudolph, Henry, Clara, Alma, Miranda, Olga, Olga E, and Kenneth Gafkjen.
Services will be held at 1:30 P.M., Friday, December 23, at the Sunburg Community Bible Church. Interment will be in the Sunburg Free Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7 P.M. Thursday at the Peterson Brothers Sunburg Funeral Home in Sunburg, MN, and at the church one hour prior to the service.
Palmer Garfield Gafkjen was born at his home in Sunburg, MN, on April 1, 1912 to Randine (Paaverud) and Hans Gafkjen. He attended rural school in Norway Lake Township where he grew up on the family farm. Palmer was married to Luella Agnes Freese on February 14, 1933 in a double wedding ceremony with Luella's brother Jack and Myrtle Freese. The couple lived on the family farm in Sunburg, which Palmer purchased from his dad in 1935. As a young man, Palmer was very fond of horses. He had 5 white horses he farmed with before replacing them with tractors. They lived and worked on the farm until retiring and moving into Sunburg. Palmer and Luella were blessed with four children. Palmer and Luella were close to celebrating 62 years of marriage before her death in 1995. Shortly after his wife's death, Palmer moved into the home of his son Ernest, where he lived until moving to the Stewartville Care Center in April 2011. After 99 years of talking, Palmer never could loose that strong Norwegian accent. Uffda and ya sure, were commonly heard. He was quick to laugh and loved to tease. Palmer shared many cups of coffee over the years. All those who were blessed to know him and sit across the table from him knew that his greatest treasure on this earth was his love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He enjoyed bible studies with his family and many friends in the area. He was a part of a music group called the Joyful Messengers who sang for church activities and rest home ministries
Survivors include a daughter, Florence (Robert) Botten of Sunburg, and sons; Harlan (Pat) Gafkjen of Broken Arrow, OK, Ernest (Janet) Gafkjen of Rochester, thirteen grandchildren; Diane Suter, Donna Moe, Rick Botten, Valerie Coleman, Vicki White, Christine Schultz, Michelle Sternberg, Natalie Fyles, Todd Gafkjen, Kelly Gafkjen, Eric Gafkjen, Ginny Jeche, and Jared Gafkjen, 26 great grandchildren, and 11 great great grandchildren.
Palmer is preceded in death by his parents Hans and Randine Gafkjen, his wife Luella, son Paul Lee in 1970, grandson Kevin Gafkjen, and 9 siblings Selmer, Rudolph, Henry, Clara, Alma, Miranda, Olga, Olga E, and Kenneth Gafkjen.
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