Rufus Herman Garnmeister, 90, Luverne, died Saturday, April 25, 2015, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.
A funeral service was Wednesday, April 29, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial was at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Rufus Garnmeister was born March 25, 1925, to Herman and Emma (Bunte) Garnmeister at home near George, Iowa. He was raised on the family farm. He was baptized and confirmed at Immanuel Lutheran Church of George and attended country school through the eighth grade near George.
In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served during World War II. Rufus served in England, Germany, France, Morocco, Holland, Austria and Belgium under General Patton. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and returned to Iowa.
On Jan. 8, 1950, he married Verna Stange at St. Paul Lutheran Church of rural Hull, Iowa. The couple settled on a farm in Springwater Township, Rock County. Rufus worked the land and raised Hereford and Angus cattle, poultry and pigs. He received awards for his contour farming methods. In 1973 Rufus retired from farming and worked at Luverne Truck Equipment until 1987. In 2001, after 51 years on the farm, Rufus and Verna moved to Luverne. In 2012 Rufus became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.
He was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, where he served as an elder, participated with Stephen Ministry, evangelism and LCEF. He taught teen Bible classes for 28 years, sharing his faith with words of wisdom sprinkled with wit. He served as a 4-H leader and was the superintendent of the beef barn at the Rock County Fair for several years. He loved to sing, read and garden. He enjoyed staying up to date on issues relating to soil conservation, politics, farming and raising cattle. He enjoyed telling jokes and having a good laugh.
Rufus is survived by his wife of 65 years, Verna Garnmeister, Luverne; three daughters, Paula (John) Peterson, Parker, Colorado, Mary (Claude) Vahle, Highland, California, and Ruth (Scott) Kannenberg, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; five grandchildren, Sarah (Kevin), John (Amie), Kathryn (Luke), Andrew, and Jared; three great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Marianne Garnmeister, Greenville, South Carolina; and many other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings, Vertis, Herman, and Albert Garnmeister and Loretta Vanden Mark.
Memorials may be directed to Little Lambs Preschool at St. John Lutheran Church, 803 North Cedar, Luverne, MN 56156.
Arrangements are by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.