Steven Paulsen

Steven Richard Paulsen...
was born to Richard and Barbara (Hjermstad) Paulsen on November 12, 1965 in Pipestone, Minnesota and raised on the family farm in Grange Township. He attended school in Pipestone. When he was 12 years old, he was diagnosed with brain cancer and had to have massive amounts of radiation. Five years later, his cancer reoccured and he underwent chemotherapy. Steve loved to farm, and everyone knew at a very young age that he was going to be a farmer. After his high school graduation in 1984, he went into farming with his dad and then his two brothers-in-law. This was the beginning of PVH Farms. While working at the farm on Monday, March 18, 2013, Steve slipped on the ice and fractured his skull. He passed away that same day at the age of 47 years, four months and six days.

Steve was a member of St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone. He was an avid collector of toy farm machinery and very proud of his collection. As a young child, he started his collection with the 1/64 sized tractors, but when his Granny Em said, “Ah, Steve, get the big ones” he listened and added them to his collection. He was skilled at making, restoring and repairing the collectibles. He also enjoyed collecting coins and movies. Steve enjoyed playing games, cards and watching Monday night wrestling 'WWE'. Steve had a gift for gab and was hard pressed to miss his morning coffee at Jones’ Repair or his evening night cap at Woebee’s. He made many dear friends at both places. Steve’s family will always remember his sense of humor and caring heart. Being the only boy with four sisters looking out for him could get overwhelming, but he took it all in stride and his sisters remember what a prankster he could be. At Christmas time, Steve especially loved to dress up as Santa Claus and pass out the presents.

He is lovingly remembered by his parents, Richard and Barbara Paulsen of Pipestone, MN; three sisters, Pat (Morey) VanHoecke, Pam Paulsen and Carrie (Mark) Hiniker, all of Pipestone, MN; his brother-in-law, Thomas Szyman of Lakeville, MN; his nieces, Chrissy (Jeff) DeBates, Kimberly Szyman, Emma Paulsen and Chelsey and Brooklyn Hiniker; his nephews, Bill (Emily) VanHoecke, Richard (Laura) Szyman and Aiden Hiniker; his great-nieces and great-nephews, Will and Matt Debates, Carson and Trevin VanHoecke, Jaycee Van Peterson and Josephine Szyman; his uncle, Dennis Hjermstad; and his aunt, Sharon Gearin. He is preceded in death by his beloved sister, Vanessa Szyman; his grandparents, Kathryn and Bernard Hjermstad and Bill and Emma Paulsen; and three uncles, Robert Paulsen, Donald Hjermstad and Timothy Hjermstad.