Dick Dreesen

DICK HENRY DREESEN was born October 26, 1926 to Ralph and Aalke (Groen) Dreesen on a farm in Lyon County, Iowa near Ellsworth, Minnesota. At the age of three, the family moved to a farm near Ward, South Dakota. Dick attended country school in Pipestone County through the eighth grade. He was then hired as a farmhand at the age of 14. When he was 18, he moved to Rock County and began working on the farm of Herman and Ruth Buss for the next five years. On March 24, 1948 Dick was united in marriage to Dolores Rust at the Presbyterian Church parsonage in Worthington, Minnesota. The couple made their home in a simple trailer on the Buss farm. In 1949, the couple began farming on their own, first renting a farm northwest of Luverne and then a farm southeast of Beaver Creek, Minnesota. In 1956, they purchased a farm northwest of Luverne in Springwater Township which they named 'The I.O.U. Ranch'. In the 1980's, Dick and Dolores began renting out their land. At this time Dick did custom farming while also helping Mulder Auction Services part-time. The couple moved into Luverne in the fall of 2011. On Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Dick died peacefully at his home due to complications from Parkinson's Disease.

Dick was a member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. He enjoyed riding horse, attending parades and going on wagon train rides. Quite simply, Dick loved farming and his family. He was proud to say he never had to punch a time clock or carry a lunch bucket.

Dick is lovingly remembered by his wife of 65 years, Dolores; two children, Jim (Pat) Dreesen of Jasper, Minnesota and Jeane (Jack) Leslie of Luverne; five grandchildren, Sheri (Doug) Baker, David (Nora) Dreesen, Jill (Chad) Buss, Justine (Matt) Sandbulte and Jenna Leslie (boyfriend, Andy Groff); seven great-grandchildren, John Baker, Tiffany and Megan Dreesen, Lauren and Cole Buss, Emilee Sandbulte, and Boston Groff; two siblings, Orvel (Karen) Dreesen of Ellsworth and Aleida Meyerhoff of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and other family. He was preceded in death by an infant son, Donald; parents; two siblings and their spouses, Anna Mae (Bill) Green and Ben (Thelma) Dreesen; brother-in-law, Harry Meyerhoff, nephew, Keith Meyerhoff; and father and mother-in-law, Ben and Tina Rust.

'That's All Folks!'