Gilbert Saffert

Gilbert George Saffert, 86, of Long Prairie, formerly of Sanborn died Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at the Long Prairie Nursing Home. Gilbert was born April 26, 1924, in Stately Township, near Sanborn, MN, to George and Edith (Kastner) Saffert. He married Doris Viola Meidl on May 16, 1949. Gilbert and Doris farmed for 40 years near Sanborn, MN. They retired in 1989 and moved to rural Long Prairie. His love of the land and farming carried into his retirement years as he and Doris always had large gardens from which many friends and relatives benefited. Gilbert enjoyed playing concertina and was an avid fisherman, carpenter, blacksmith and gardener. He made scale model replicas of horse-drawn wagons, barns and wooden toys for the grandchildren. A unique replica he made was a Howitzer cannon - and it works! Another favorite hobby was restoring antique gasoline engines. The collection ranged from a one and a half-horse power John Deere engine to a 6 horse-power International. Gilbert was a great story-teller and conversationalist. He enjoyed meeting new people and learning about where they were from and what they were interested in. Of course one story would always lead to another with both Gilbert and his audience laughing heartily. Gilbert is survived by his wife of 61 years, Doris, children Karen (Vic) Weiss of Sleepy Eye, Alan (Jody) Saffert of Windom, Roxane (Sherman) Johnson of Woodinville, WA, Renee Willhite of Sauk Centre, Doreen Saffert of Mankato, 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Surviving sisters are Loretta (Clarence) Wenisch, Marie (Wilbert) Lang and Adeline (Lawrence) Roiger. Gilbert was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Edwin, Greg, Dennis, and Donald, brothers-in-law Clarence Wenisch, Wilbert Lang, and son-in-law Mike Willhite.