Marlin Pankratz

Marlin Pankratz went to be with the Lord on June 13, 2014 at the age of 77. He died from complications of cancer surgery in Rochester, Minnesota. The family would like to invite you to a Celebration of Life for Marlin Pankratz on Saturday July 12 from 11:00 to 2:00 at the Alliance Missionary Church in Mt Lake. It will be a chance to share food, memories and pictures with family and friends. Memorials will be donated towards cancer research. Marlin was born September 20, 1936 to Peter F. Pankratz and Anna L. (Derksen) Pankratz in Glasgow, Montana. Marlin and his family moved to Mountain Lake, Minnesota in 1937 where his father farmed the Derksen farm and where Marlin grew up. He was baptized at the age of 15 and graduated from Mountain Lake Public School in 1954. Marlin went on to the University of Minnesota School of Agriculture where he graduated in 1957 with a degree in farm mechanics. Marlin was a true hero, rescuing 1 of 2 boys from drowning in Mountain Lake after their raft was taken over by waves in 1957. Marlin enlisted in alternative service, serving as a human guinea pig at the National Institute of Health. He served one year in Haiti as an agriculture consultant to help the Haitian people and later returned to help rebuild after a hurricane. Upon returning from Haiti, Marlin was united in marriage to Wilda Garberick on February 07, 1959 at the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church in Elkhart, Indiana. They both served at Wooster Ohio Boys Village. Marlin worked at Schusters Sheet Metal in Elkhart before moving to Butterfield. When Marlin and Wilda returned from Elkhart, he started his long farming career. He farmed with his dad Peter and brothers Loren and Bob for many years at Con-Fed, Inc. raising crops and hogs. He served on many boards including being President of the Minnesota Pork Producers and Vice President of The National Pork Board. He was also on the Mt Lake Lake Commission. Marlin served many years at the First Mennonite Church of Mountain Lake in different capacities. In his later years he enjoyed working for R and R Farms and Nickel Construction. He is survived by his wife Wilda, daughter, Debbie (Doug) Wellman, a son, Mark Pankratz, and a beloved grandson, Shane Wellman, all of Mountain Lake, two brothers, Loren of Larkspur, Colorado and Robert of Mt Lake , three aunts, two uncles and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents Peter and Anna Pankratz, and two sisters Margaret Gazda and Laura Neufeld. Marlin enjoyed family and friends, farming (particularly the pork industry), hunting, traveling and scuba diving, but most of all he loved his family. Service Information 11:00 am Saturday, July 12, 2014 Alliance Missionary Church-Mt Lake 809 - 5th Avenue Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159