Carl Burk

Carl Alvin Burk was born March 26, 1942 to Julius and Alvina (Oerter) Burk in Tyler, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church of rural Lake Benton, Minnesota. He grew up in Tyler, Arco, Ivanhoe, Madison, Lake Benton, and Pipestone, Minnesota, graduating from Pipestone High School in 1960. Carl enlisted and was very proud to have served in the U.S. Navy in 1960 and was honorably discharged June 15, 1966. He returned to Pipestone and went to college at Winona State College, graduating with distinction in 1967. While at Winona State he met JoAn Whorton. The couple was united in marriage on September 2, 1967 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona. Their union was blessed with two sons, James and Paul, and 49 years of life together. The couple moved to Madison, Wisconsin where Carl taught social studies at Gompers/Blackhawk Middle School. While teaching in Madison, Carl was awarded the Teacher of the Year Award by the DAR. After 30 years of teaching he retired in 1997 and they moved to Lake Benton. Carl and JoAn restored the old Briffet House to establish Benton House Bed & Breakfast. In 2004, Carl restored the old Firehouse into the Buffalo Ridge Coffee and Trading Company. They retired from that business in 2011 and from operating a bed and breakfast in 2013. Carl and JoAn had recently moved to Mahtomedi, Minnesota to be closer to their family and his doctors. Carl died Monday, August 28, 2017 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis at the age of 75.

Carl was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton. He served in the life of the congregation on the church council, as treasurer, sang in the Men of Grace, ushered, and taught Sunday school. Carl was a member of the Henry Sollie American Legion Post #10 of Lake Benton and Lions Club. He served the community of Lake Benton on the City Council, Library Board, a liaison for the Police Department, Chamber of Commerce, Lake Benton Opera House Board, and Visions in Progress (VIP), and had been Citizen of the Year. He was the pioneer of the Benton-Fremont/Te Tonka Ha Rendezvous. Carl enjoyed collecting and restoring Studebakers, collecting inverted feather ‘Near Cut’ glass, stamps, and pin cushion dolls. He liked to travel to historic sites in the United States and Europe, and had visited New Orleans numerous times for the Mardi Gras celebration. He enjoyed discussing current events and how they related to history. Carl especially enjoyed the time spent with family.

Carl is lovingly remembered by his wife JoAn of Mahtomedi; sons James (Kimberly) of Montrose, MN and Paul (Heike) of New Glarus, WI; grandchildren Anna, Abby, and Christopher; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his siblings, baby boy Burk, Joyce McColm and Jack Burk; aunts, uncles, and cousins.