John Duerksen

John Duerksen, age 86 of Mt. Lake died on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at the Good Samaritan Home in Mt. Lake. Visitation will be at Sturm Funeral Home in Mountain Lake on Sunday, July 8, 2012 from 3 to 6 PM. Visitation will resume, at the church, one hour before the funeral. The Funeral Service will be held at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake at 10:30 AM Monday, July 9th. Rev. Elaine Kauffman and Rev. Dr. Jim Tieszen will officiate. Millie Loewen will play the organ and Jane Goering will play the harp. Special music will be provided by Gene Margaret Duerksen and family. The casketbearers are: Troy Duerksen, Traves Duerksen, Matt Duerksen, Marlin Pieske, Paul Dick, Ivan Thiessen, Tylor Duerksen, and Tylor Jacobson. Interment will be in Mountain Lake City Cemetery. John J. Duerksen was born on the family farm in Midway Township, Cottonwood County on August 8, 1925 to John H. and Marie (Krahn) Duerksen. His education was through the 9th grade. As a young lad, he helped his dad farm. In 1942 he was baptized in the Immanuel Mennonite Church in Delft. He volunteered for two years with the Civilian Public Service in Colorado and Montana. On February 18, 1949, John was united in marriage to Tina Krause at Gospel Mennonite Church. After their wedding, they farmed around the Mountain Lake and Delft area. They were blessed with three sons. In 1950 John and Tina joined the Gospel Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake, and in 1999 they transferred their membership to Bethel Mennonite Church. In 1953, John started his own spraying business which he operated for 29 years. He also worked part-time in area grocery stores. A stroke in September of 1999 forced him to retire. John enjoyed fishing. His favorite Bible passage was Philippians 1:21, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." On May 25, 2012, John entered the Windom Area Hospital with heart failure and was transferred to Windom Sogge Memorial Home on the 29th of that month. On June 11 he became a resident of the Mountain Lake Good Samaritan Village where he remained until his peaceful death on July 4, 2012. This February 18, John and Tina celebrated 63 years of marriage. John Duerksen is survived by his wife, Tina of Mt. Lake, sons: Arthur Pat, Glen Elder, KS, Arnold Judy, Mt. Lake, and Arden Simona, Colorado Springs, CO, sisters: Marian Harold Thiessen, Sleepy Eye, Myrtle Arnold Quiring, Windom, Myrna Hugh Long, Mt. Lake, siblings-in-law: Albert Thiessen, Butterfield, DeLoss Pieske, Lake Wilson, Sarah Regehr, Mt. Lake, Marie Callendar, Billings, MT, Wilma Krause, Mankato, and Emma Krause, Omaha, NE, five grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, siblings: Matilda Thiessen, Martha Pieske, Erwin, and infant sister, Margaret, in-laws: Don Dick, and Georgine Tex Duerksen. First Visitation 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Sunday, July 8, 2012 Sturm Funeral Home, Mountain Lake 420 10th St. N. Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Second Visitation 9:30 am - 10:30 am Monday, July 9, 2012 Bethel Mennonite Church 301 N 9th St Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Service Information 10:30 am Monday, July 9, 2012 Bethel Mennonite Church 301 N 9th St Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159