Alfred "Bud" Locher

Alfred "Bud" W. Locher passed away at home in Green Isle, MN, surrounded by family, on March 18, 2017. He was 92 years old. Bud Locher could fix anything. With sure hands, a lifetime of knowledge, and an unmatched attention to detail, Bud could install and fix refrigerated beer taplines at work, leaky faucets and broken appliances at home, boat motors at the cabin, and broken toys, bikes and Barbie Jeeps and Dreamhouses for his children and grandchildren. He could untangle fishing line and keep his beloved Allis Chalmers lawn tractor running for over 50 years. Bud could fix scraped knees and bumps and bruises with his gentle hands and he could fix bad days with a smile and his boundless positive spirit. Even now, as we mourn the loss of our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend, Bud is helping fix broken hearts with the many wonderful memories of a life well lived. Bud was born in Green Isle Township on April 26, 1924. He was baptized in Arlington and confirmed at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and graduated from Glencoe High School in 1942. On June 19, 1948, Bud married Shirley Fulkerson at the Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua, Iowa. They raised their two daughters, Gwendolyn and Cynthia, in Green Isle. Bud spent his career in the beer business, first working with his father and then starting Locher Bros. Distributing with his brother, Joe, in 1939. Bud and Joe, along with their families, built the business from a local Hamm's Beer distributor to one the largest Miller beer distributors in the state. Bud's son-in-law, Bob Utendorfer, currently runs Locher Bros. with his family. Bud embraced everything he set out to do with passion and hard work. He loved his cabin in Brainerd and was active hunting, fishing, woodworking and flying remote control airplanes. Bud and Shirley wintered in Tucson for over 20 years and loved spending time with their Arizona neighbors and friends. Bud was a volunteer fireman in Green Isle, bowled a perfect 300 at the Ponderosa Bowl in Arlington, was on the church council at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and a member of the Lion's Club in Green Isle. Bud loved music, played accordion by ear, and up until last Christmas entertained family and friends with Christmas Carols, "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", and his favorite, "In Heaven There Is No Beer." Bud always talked about "my girls" because his wife, Shirley, and his two daughters, Gwendy and Cyndy, were the loves of his life. Married for 68 years, Bud and Shirley were inseparable and shared the deep and everlasting love that was spoken in their wedding vows, "til death do us part." He adored and doted over his Gwendy and Cyndy with that special love that exists only between fathers and daughters. The past 41 years of Bud's life have been centered on his five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. They all have cherished memories of their beloved "Papa." Bud received loving care for the past five years in his home from a wonderful group of caregivers, who were at his side with compassion and a smile every day. Bud charmed them with his good nature and his kind and gentle sense of humor. Bud was preceded in death by his parents, George and Ida (Woelpern) Locher; his four brothers, Joe, Carl, Ben and Elmer Locher; and two sisters, Elsie Locher and Eveyln Brown. He is loved and will be remembered by his wife, Shirley; daughters Gwen (Bob) Utendorfer and Cyndy (Dan) Seeman; grandchildren Dan Utendorfer, Missy (Brian) Jenneke, Paul (Misty) Utendorfer, Clare and Hannah Seeman; great grandchildren Zach, Ali, Breea, Owen, Devon, Brady, Maddy, Megan and Natalie, and many relatives and friends. Visitation will take place on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Green Isle, MN starting at 10am, followed by a funeral service at 1pm. Burial will be at the Arlington Public Cemetery immediately following the service. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church or Ridgeview Hospice Care.

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