Earl Warner

Earl Warner

Earl Warner

 

Earl Warner age 92 of Walnut Grove, Minnesota passed away Friday, July 21, 2017 at Good Samaritan Care Center in Westbrook.  Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, July 25 at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church, Rural Westbrook.  Visitation is 5:00-8:00 p.m. Monday AT THE CHURCH and will continue one hour prior to services on Tuesday.  Burial is in the church cemetery.  Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.  Stephens Funeral Service – Walnut Grove Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Earl Lowell Warner was born June 13, 1925 at the family farm in Highwater Township Cottonwood County, Minnesota to Eddie and Helen (Strandberg) Warner.  He was baptized and confirmed at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church where he attended every Sunday.  He loved to sing the old gospel hymns.  He served on various boards and committees at the church and was pleased that the gospel message was preached every Sunday.  One of his favorite verses was Ephesians 2:8-9.  “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”  One short line describes Earl; he was a farmer! He attended school at Sunnyside Dist. 37 and immediately after 8th grade, at age 15, he rented land from a neighbor and with one old tractor and a team of horses he began his lifelong career.  He was always looking for ways to speed up and improve farming methods.  In a few years he welded two 2 row corn planters together and made a 4 row planter, one of the first in the neighborhood.  One of his greatest joys was having his sons and grandsons join him in farming.  Earl served on the Board of Directors for the PCA (Production Credit Association) in Windom.  On May 1, 1948 he and Anna Margaret Kopperud were married at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church.  They rented a farm home nearby where they lived for about 12 years, and their five children were born during those years.  During the 1950s Earl began improving the land which he bought in Ann Township where he planted trees and built buildings.  When the farm house they lived in burned, a new home was within 6 weeks of being ready.  Anna Margaret died in 2012.  In November 2012 Earl and Gladys Mathiason were married at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church.  Gladys loved to travel, but Earl did not so she spent the last 4-1/2 years laughing at his famous saying “If you’ve seen one mountain you have seen them all.”

Earl is survived by his wife Gladys; sons Leon (Karen) Warner of Glenwood, MN, Greg (Deb) Warner of Walnut Grove, Dean (Lois) Warner of Walnut Grove, Mark (Linda) Warner of Walnut Grove; daughter Marilyn (Tim) Grefe of Butterfield, MN; grandchildren: Amy (Bryan), Sara (Todd), Kelly (Dale), Dan (Tiffany), Lowell (Stacy), Theresa (Brandon), Rita (Mike), Mandy (Brian), Meghann (Dustin), Gretchen, Bill, Katie (Dallis); 23 great-grandchildren: Riley, Brenna, Caden, Nolan, Brantley, Hendrik, Taylor, Jackson, Kenzie, Beckett, Arianna, Grace, Blake, Collin, Addison, Peyton, Ethan, Griffin, Emma, Drew, Reece, Avery and Kaelyn.  He is also survived by his sisters Margaret, Marian, and Jane. He is preceded in death by his parents, wife Anna Margaret, sisters Grace, Ruth, Mildred and Martha, and brothers Howard and Wallace.

8 thoughts on “Earl Warner”

    1. Mark A. Warner

      Bruce, thank you for your thoughts and concerns with dad’s passing;great to hear from you. I plan to come and visit you sometime. Have a great day. Mark

  1. Cheryl Kopperud

    My thoughts and prayers are with you all. So sorry I will not be able to attend. I am currently out of state.

    Love to you all,
    Cheryl Kopperud

  2. Linda Johnson Kleven

    Dear Warners and Mathiasons, Sorry about your loss. I always enjoyed my short visits with Earl and AnnaMargaret and also with Gladys. I was always welcomed warmly . We discussed our feline friends and other topics. I will miss his humor and friendliness to me. Linda E. Kleven

  3. Pastor Mark Sallmen

    Dear Gladys and Family!

    You are in our very loving thoughts and prayers at this time.
    Earl was a true witness his faith in Jesus Christ and now he knows the joy of salvation
    in heaven. Yet we but not like those who have no hope .
    It was an honor and joy to have been his friend and pastor.
    Mom and I keep you in loving prayers and thoughts

  4. It was sad to hear of Uncle Earl’s passing. He was a great man and example to so many. I loved hearing him laugh and see his smile that would light up a room. I am proud to call him my Uncle. Our deepest sympathies to the family. We love you all and pray for a wonderful celebration of his life on Tuesday. (John 11:25-26)
    Joel and Kathy Madson

  5. Eunice Christensen

    Dear Warners and Mathiasons…. Please know you will be remembered in thoughts and prayers in the coming days. May you cherish happy memories of your times with Earl. While I didn’t know Earl personally, I know many of his family, and my dear friend, Gladys. May you feel God’s loving arms around you during your time of grief. Sincerely with love, Eunice Christensen, Clive, IA

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