Albert Schroepfer

Albert Charles Spin Schroepfer, age 99, of Sleepy Eye died Monday, October 10, 2011. Spin was born on January 13, 1912 near Clements. He moved to a farm near Comfrey before coming to Sleepy Eye at age 6. He graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1931. Spin married Myrtle Johnson on October 26, 1940. He spent 50 years on Sleepy Eye's Main Street with newspapers and retail business. In 1930's Spin was a newspaper reporter and printer for Sleepy Eye Progressive and from 1940-1957 was concurrently Advertising Manager for Sleepy Eye Herald Dispatch and Circulation Manager for Minneapolis Star Tribune in Sleepy Eye. In 1958 Spin Myrtle owned and operated Ben Franklin until retiring in 1983. He was Secretary of Sleepy Eye Retail Association. Spin was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Catholic Order of Foresters served on St. Mary's Athletic Board. He was also a charter member Treasurer of Brown County Association for Retarded Citizens, where he served for 25 years and was active on committees promoting welfare of mentally and physically handicapped persons. Spin's favorite hobby was music. He was a member of St. Mary's Caecilian Choir for fifty years, soloist at many weddings and church events and played saxophone and clarinet with orchestras during the Big Band era in the 1930's and 1940's. He was an avid golf enthusiast and was a member of Sleepy Eye Golf Club since 1955. Spin attended several pro golf tournaments and Vikings football games, including a Super Bowl. He is survived by sons, Gary, Thomas, John, all of New Ulm and sister, Marie (Wolf) of St. Paul. He was preceded in death by wife, Myrtle, parents, John Anna (Pechtl), brothers, John and Leo Pinky, sister, Ann, half-brother, William, half-sisters, Mathilda (Dietz), Minnie (Lang) and Clara (Ertl) and sister-in-law, Ruth Johnson.