Leslie (Pinky) Menssen, 78, died on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at the V. A. Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. James with Pastor Martin Lopahs officiating. The organist was Joyce Monroe. The honorary pallbearers were Erin Connelly, Beth Johnson, Stephanie Menssen, Jessica Menssen, Emily Menssen and Shannon Hayostek. The pallbearers were Derrick Johnson, Adam Johnson, Steve Connelly, Tyler Menssen, John Menssen, Jeremy Menssen, Lucas Heller and Mike Hayostek. Burial with military honors was in Mt. Hope Cemetery in St. James.
Visitation was held on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Pease Funeral Home in St. James.
Leslie Raymond (Pinky) Menssen was born on April 7, 1931 to Cornelius and Frieda (Grund) Menssen at the Mt. Lake Hospital in Mt. Lake, Minnesota. He was raised in Watonwan County and attended schools near Darfur and Butterfield. He worked as a farm laborer and a U.S. Postal person until enlisting in the Minnesota National Guard in St. James. In 1951 he was called to service at Fort Rucker, Alabama until October of 1953.
On May 16, 1952 he was married to Beverly Urban at St. John’s Lutheran Parsonage in South Branch by Pastor Arthur Drevlow. He returned home where he worked as a farm laborer and at Tony Downs Foods in St. James until purchasing Pinky’s Bakery in St. James in 1964. He loved to farm and returned to farming in 1968.
Leslie was active in his church working with the Pioneers and serving on the school board. He enjoyed tractor pulling, snowmobile racing, playing pool, fishing, winter vacations in Arizona and visiting with family and friends. He had served as President of the Watonwan County Fair Board and as director and had served for 13 years as the Tractor Pull Chairman at the fair. He also enjoyed the Butterfield Threshing Bee and the Prairieland Antique Car Club. He was a life member of the St. James American Legion.
Survivors include his wife, Beverly; children, Charlotte (Steve) Johnson of St. James, MN, Leland (Nancy) Menssen of Madelia, MN, Patty (Kevin) Livingston of Norfolk, NE and Elroy (Brenda) Menssen of Butterfield, MN; nine grandchildren, Derrick, Erin, Adam, Stephanie, John, Tyler, Shannon, Jessica and Jeremy; seven great-grandchildren, Tallin, Kayl, Aryel, Caitlyn, Paige, Kain and Jacob; twin brother, LeRoy (Jennie) Menssen of Estherville, IA, brother, Donald (Mary Ann) Menssen of St. James, MN; sisters, Darlene Ebbenga of Butterfield, MN, Karen (Lawrence) Janzen of Butterfield, MN and Gayle McLeod of Sioux Falls, SD; sister-in-law, Helen Menssen of Sherburn, MN and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Leslie was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Walter and Dennis.
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Leslie (Pinky) Menssen, 78, died on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at the V. A. Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in St. James with Pastor Martin Lopahs officiating. The organist was Joyce Monroe. The honorary pallbearers were Erin Connelly, Beth Johnson, Stephanie Menssen, Jessica Menssen, Emily Menssen and Shannon Hayostek. The pallbearers were Derrick Johnson, Adam Johnson, Steve Connelly, Tyler Menssen, John Menssen, Jeremy Menssen, Lucas Heller and Mike Hayostek. Burial with military honors was in Mt. Hope Cemetery in St. James.
Visitation was held on Friday, June 5, 2009 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Pease Funeral Home in St. James.
Leslie Raymond (Pinky) Menssen was born on April 7, 1931 to Cornelius and Frieda (Grund) Menssen at the Mt. Lake Hospital in Mt. Lake, Minnesota. He was raised in Watonwan County and attended schools near Darfur and Butterfield. He worked as a farm laborer and a U.S. Postal person until enlisting in the Minnesota National Guard in St. James. In 1951 he was called to service at Fort Rucker, Alabama until October of 1953.
On May 16, 1952 he was married to Beverly Urban at St. John’s Lutheran Parsonage in South Branch by Pastor Arthur Drevlow. He returned home where he worked as a farm laborer and at Tony Downs Foods in St. James until purchasing Pinky’s Bakery in St. James in 1964. He loved to farm and returned to farming in 1968.
Leslie was active in his church working with the Pioneers and serving on the school board. He enjoyed tractor pulling, snowmobile racing, playing pool, fishing, winter vacations in Arizona and visiting with family and friends. He had served as President of the Watonwan County Fair Board and as director and had served for 13 years as the Tractor Pull Chairman at the fair. He also enjoyed the Butterfield Threshing Bee and the Prairieland Antique Car Club. He was a life member of the St. James American Legion.
Survivors include his wife, Beverly; children, Charlotte (Steve) Johnson of St. James, MN, Leland (Nancy) Menssen of Madelia, MN, Patty (Kevin) Livingston of Norfolk, NE and Elroy (Brenda) Menssen of Butterfield, MN; nine grandchildren, Derrick, Erin, Adam, Stephanie, John, Tyler, Shannon, Jessica and Jeremy; seven great-grandchildren, Tallin, Kayl, Aryel, Caitlyn, Paige, Kain and Jacob; twin brother, LeRoy (Jennie) Menssen of Estherville, IA, brother, Donald (Mary Ann) Menssen of St. James, MN; sisters, Darlene Ebbenga of Butterfield, MN, Karen (Lawrence) Janzen of Butterfield, MN and Gayle McLeod of Sioux Falls, SD; sister-in-law, Helen Menssen of Sherburn, MN and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Leslie was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Walter and Dennis.
