Roger Gafkjen

Roger C. Gafkjen, age 84, of Brooten, died Sunday afternoon, Aug. 16, at the St. Cloud Area Hospital.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 20, at West Lake Lutheran Church near Sunburg. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 19, at the Peterson Brothers Sunburg Funeral Home and will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the West Lake Lutheran Church are preferred.

Roger Clayton Gafkjen was born on January 29, 1931, in Jericho, Minnesota, the son of Rudolf and Alice (Reigstad) Gafkjen. He grew up in the rural Sunburg community, was baptized and confirmed at West Lake Lutheran Church and received his education from the District #54 school. In April of 1950, Roger enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and later returned to Sunburg after serving 4 years in Arizona, Mississippi, Guam, Japan and Idaho. On April 20, 1956, at the First Presbyterian Church in Willmar, Roger was united in marriage to Mary Lou Harris. They made their home in Kerkhoven where Roger was employed at Walt's TV Repair Shop. They lived throughout Minnesota and in March of 1960, moved to Hermantown where Roger worked for the F.A.A. as an electronics technician. After retirement in 1986, they moved to a relative's farm south of Brooten near Lake Johanna. In 1996, they sold the farm and moved into Brooten. Roger was a lifelong member of West Lake Lutheran Church and member of the New London American Legion Post #537. His hobby's included hunting, fishing, riding horses and watching TV, especially western movies and sporting events. He was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins and numerous other Minnesota sports teams.

He is survived by his loving wife, Mary of Brooten; four children, Lynn (and Rod) Radtke of Blaine, Jean (and Rob) Carlson of Murdock, Scott (and Michelle) Gafkjen of Brooten and Lori (and Kent) Glesne of Sunburg; ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Larry Gafkjen (and Carol) of Alamo, ND., and Vendale Gafkjen (and Ramona) of Sandstone; one sister, Sharon (and Ronald) Monson of Murdock; and two sister-in-laws, Nancy Gafkjen of Sunburg and Mary E. Gafkjen of Murdock, besides other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Karen; one grandson, Aaren Glesne; two granddaughters, Mary Ann and Serenity Jean Gafkjen; two sisters, Aileen and Linda and four brothers, David, Dean, Merle and Allen.

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