Harold F. Oelfke

Harold F. Oelfke, age 87 of Arlington passed away Saturday, February 24, 2018 at the Sibley Ridgeview Medical Center in Arlington. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 2nd at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hamburg. Visitation will be 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Thursday, March 1st at the Kolden Funeral Home in Arlington and will continue one hour prior to service time Friday at the church. Interment will be in Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery, Hamburg. Harold Friedrich Oelfke was born in rural Hamburg, Minnesota on November 15, 1930 to Herbert and Frieda (Neske) Oelfke. He was baptized on November 23, 1930 at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hamburg and at that same church was confirmed in his Lutheran faith on April 2, 1944. Harold was a 1949 graduate of Glencoe High School. He served his country in the U.S. Army and is a Korean War Veteran. On January 24, 1954 Harold married Betty Dammann at Emanuel Lutheran Church. Harold and Betty lived in Hamburg for one year after their marriage and then moved to Waconia by Goose Lake where they lived for the next six years before moving back to the home farm in rural Hamburg. They lived there until 1979 when they moved to Arlington. Harold was both a farmer and an insurance agent during his working years. He was a lifelong, faithful member of Emanuel Lutheran Church. He served the church as an Elder and was also a member of the Men's Choir. Harold loved to golf, fish, travel and play cards. Harold is survived by his wife, Betty Oelfke of Arlington, children; Wayne (Joyce) Oelfke of Shorewood, Douglas (Carol) Oelfke of Osakis, Brian (Kathleen) Oelfke of Hamburg and Gail (Robert) Thomes of Arlington, grandchildren; Shannon (Joe) Aurich, Dana (Jake) Cavanaugh, Brenna (Steve) Kruger, Adam (Amy) Oelfke, Angela (Ryan) Mesenbring, Aaron Oelfke, Sarah Kluseman, Kelli Oelfke, Nina Hammer, Jamie (Kirby) Weckworth, Ashley (Max) Eckberg, Jordan Thomes (fiancé JC), step grandchildren; Shannon Reilly Kreger (fiancé Jesse) and Brendan (Sara) Reilly, great grandchildren; Whytnee, Kiya, Seth and Jonah Aurich, John Wayne Cavanaugh, Halden Oelfke, Kayla and Dylan Mesenbring, Ariah, Lia and Nolan Oelfke, Ashton and Colton Kluseman, Maisy, Elsie and Brooks Weckworth, Ava Eckberg, step great grandchildren; Rylie and Sydney Kreger, Marissa, Ben, Jenna and Owen Reilly, sisters-and-brothers-in-law; Ruth Kruschke of Glencoe, Virginia (Ruben) Ernst of Glencoe and Muriel (Loren) Zieroth of Waconia. Harold is preceded in death by his parents; Herbert and Frieda Oelfke, parents-in-law; Herbert and Clara Dammann, sister and brother-in-law; Shirley (Melvin) Kroells, brothers-and-sisters-in-law; Harold and Agnes Dammann, Verona and Arthur Bussmann, Herman Schmidt, Ruben Kruschke and Loren Dammann.

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