William J. Schrank

William Joseph “Bill” Schrank, age 89 of Le Sueur, passed away on Sunday, May 2nd at his home from congestive heart failure. He was surrounded by loving family members.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, May 7th, at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of St. Anne in Le Sueur. The Friday visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the Kolden Funeral Home and on Thursday evening from 5:00-7:00, concluding with the rosary led by the Knights of Columbus. Pastor, Fr. Chris Shofner officiating, and interment, with Military Honors by the LeSueur Honor Guard at Calvary Cemetery, Le Sueur.

Bill was born at Immanuel St. Joseph’s Hospital in Mankato, Blue Earth County on Thursday, January 28, 1932, to Henry Adolph and Mary Josephine (Flannery) Schrank. He grew up on a farm in Henderson Township, Le Sueur, Sibley County. He graduated from Le Sueur High School in 1950. Bill met the love of his life, Helen Patricia Quinn, and was united in holy matrimony on January 07, 1956, at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle in Jessenland. They made their home on the family farm, and were blessed with eight children, seventeen grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Bill served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict 1953-1955 and discharged with the rank of Sergeant. The GI Bill provided the opportunity to attend an agriculture school in Arlington. He was fortunate enough to have made a living off his passion for farming and continued to work in the field through the fall of 2020. He shared his enthusiasm and love of farming and fishing with his children and grandchildren; summer fly-in fishing trips to Ogoki Frontier, winter fishing on Leech Lake, and gambling at the casino on the way where “lucky Bill” would win enough to pay for the trip. He also enjoyed playing cards, board games, taking daily crop and wildlife tours around the neighborhood.

Bill will be deeply missed by everyone he touched with his delightful sense of humor and the joyful sound of his singing and humming as he went through his day.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-five years; children JoAnn (Dan) Duffy of Minneapolis, Tom Schrank and Mary Ann Start of Le Sueur, Margaret of Le Sueur, John of Le Sueur, Marion (Jerry) Heinz of Henderson, Jean Tousley of Prior Lake, and Colleen Hughes of Hastings. Grandchildren: Erin and Kathleen Duffy; Travis, Jacob, Mary, Patrick, and Michael Heinz; Joshua, Maria, Anissa, Joseph, Dominic, and Guadalupe Tousley; Emily, Sarah, Samantha, and Rachel Hughes. Great-grandchildren Solin & Lucio Mendez Duffy; Jack Kasprowicz; Stella and Charlie Heinz. He is also survived by his sister Mary Lou Birk of Tequesta, Florida.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, parent-in-laws Patrick and Mae (Janke) Quinn, and son, James “Jim”; sister and brother-in-law Frances and Donald Wright, brothers-in-law Roger Birk and Earl Pfarr; brother and sister-in-law Henry Michael “Mike” and Diane Schrank, infant sister Mary Ann, and many relatives and friends.

Cards may be sent to the Schrank Family, 35139 336th Street, Le Sueur.

Casket carriers would be: Travis, Jacob, Mary, Patrick and Michael Heinz and Emily, Sarah, Samantha, and Rachel Hughes