Cletus C. Gacke

CLETUS CLOID GACKE was born to Anthony and Dora (Rowe) Gacke on September 8, 1927, on the family farm in East Holman Township, Osceola County, Iowa. He was raised near Sibley, Iowa. In 1947 he took a job with the Bear Brand Hosiery Company in Gary, Indiana. On February 9, 1951, Cletus enlisted into the United States Army and was assigned duty with the 407th Engineers. He was united in marriage to Leona Dammann in Washington D.C. at St. Francis De Sales on July 24, 1951. During his years of service the couple lived in Tennessee, Virginia, and Maryland before moving to Luverne, Minnesota in 1953. At this time, Cletus was transferred to active military reserve until he was honorably discharged on January 30, 1957. The couple began their family and was blessed with nine children. Cletus was employed by John Deere, Birkland Heating, McClure Electric, and Iowa Beef Processors. He designed and built a machine to make gutter ferrules as a side job to provide for the family. He also supplemented his income working for a few area farmers when needed. He always looked forward to the annual family fishing vacation near Battle Lake, MN as well as couples' vacations with good friends Ervin and Lorraine Arends. Following his retirement in 1985 Cletus and Leona moved to Erhard, Minnesota where he designed and built their rural home. Leona preceded Cletus in death on August 18, 2010. Cletus returned to live in Luverne in 2011. In January 2013 he became a resident at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, where on Monday, February 24, 2014, he died peacefully surrounded by family.

Cletus was a member of St. Catherine's Catholic Church. He was an avid woodworker and remodeler. He especially enjoyed fishing, gardening, trapping, mowing, cutting and splitting wood, attending flea markets and auctions, and spending time with his dogs. Although his sight and hearing became very limited during the later years, Cletus continued to persevere with a great attitude and a wry sense of humor. Throughout his life, he maintained a strong work ethic and always kept busy building or doing something. He will be missed dearly by those who loved him.

Cletus will be lovingly remembered by his eight children: Cleta (John) Knoebel of Lebanon, Illinois, Rita (James) Clark of Rochester, Minnesota, Kerrilyn Gacke (Steve Holehouse) of Junction City, Wisconsin, Curtis (Joni) Gacke of Luverne, Minnesota, Ronda (Jay) Bonar of North Las Vegas, Nevada, Vincent (Peg) Gacke of Luverne, Anthony (Wendy) Gacke of Luverne, and D. Janae (Mark) Hardina of Kindred, North Dakota; 23 grandchildren: Karen (Frank) Mercer, David (Jenna) Dempsey, Michele (Daniel) Goldsworthy, Robert (Heide) Knoebel and Daniel (Caitlyn) Knoebel; Christopher (Kimberly) Clark and Alexander (fianc, Amanda Harrison) Clark; Kasey (Jenny) Gacke; Ashley (Tony) Bartholomaus, Allana (Daniel) Rogge and Samantha Gacke; Kyle and Katelynn Bonar; Andraya (fianc, Jon Peterson) and Landon Gacke; Marco, Joey, Jonny and Daniella Gacke; Taylor Hardina, Megan (Eric) Stroh, Caitlin (Brady) Gabel and Andrea Hardina; 14 great-grandchildren: Naomi and Eloise Dempsey; Owen, Brayden, Eian and Lana Knoebel; and Kayla and Kristen Goldsworthy; Caleb and Gabriel Clark; Keaton Gacke; Nolan and Lincoln Bartholomaus; and Tempe Rogge; and two siblings: Virgil Gacke of Wilmington, Illinois, and Lorraine Ryan of Lisle, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Leona; parents; daughter, Joan; granddaughter, Kalaise Gacke; seven siblings: Ronald Gacke, Isabelle Briski, Ursula Tremmel, Joan Schuller, Dione Gacke, and infant twins Dorothy and Anthony Gacke.