Gerald E. Schroepfer, age 98 of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, died on November 1, 2023. Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Sturm Funeral Home, Sleepy Eye Chapel and will continue on Wednesday from 10:00 am until 11:00 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church-North Entrance in Sleepy Eye. Parish Rosary will be in the church on Wednesday at 10:15 am. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 11:00 am. The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye. The clergy will be Fr. Mark Steffl. Interment will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
Gerald Edmund Schroepfer, the son of Norbert and Agnes (Ruby) Schroepfer, was born on October 25, 1925, in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. He was raised with his sister on the family farm and attended St. Mary’s Catholic School through the eighth grade. On May 5, 1953, Gerald was united in marriage to Arlene Goblirsch at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye, and they were blessed with twelve children. They raised their family on the very same farm in which Gerald was born and raised.
Gerald was a life-long dairy and row-crop farmer, beginning with horse-drawn machinery in his younger days. Determination helped him persevere through all the challenges that came with farming over the years. Gerald loved his wife and children and in his free time he enjoyed baseball, fishing, card parties, and learning new things. Playing the concertina, listening and dancing to polka music, and his loyal pet rat terriers over the years brought him much joy.
Gerald is survived by his children, Dennis (Lori) of St. Cloud, Janet (Tom) Wilfahrt of New Ulm, Pat (Judy) of Sleepy Eye, Ken (Colleen) of Pecatonica, IL, Jean (Mac) York of Flat Rock, AL, Lois (Brad) Eberhard of Castle Rock, CO, Alan (Ann) of Paynesville, Mary (Dave) Bauer of Litchfield, Colleen (Steve) Berscheit of Sleepy Eye, Sharon (John) Hauser of Sleepy Eye and Kristine (Cody) Helget of New Ulm; 68 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; and other loving relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Norbert and Agnes Schroepfer; wife, Arlene Schroepfer; daughter, Sandra Sellner; and sister, Irene Richert. May he rest in peace.