Alois Karasch

Alois "Al" Karasch, age 87 of Sauk Centre, died Monday, February 2, 2009 at St. Michael's Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, February 5 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. James Statz officiating. Interment will be held in Calvary Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be held at 5 p.m. followed by the United Veterans Prayer Service at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Alois Jerome Karasch was born April 23, 1921 in Brockway Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to John and Frances (Kociemba) Karasch. He joined the United States Navy in 1944, served in World War II and was released following his father's death in 1946. On July 22, 1947 he was united in marriage to Bernice C. Wiener at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Padua, Minnesota. Al owned and operated the Skelly and Super America gas stations in Sauk Centre before working as a janitor at the Sauk Centre High School, where he retired after 15 years.Al was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 and the American Legion Post 67. He loved the outdoors, especially gardening, mowing lawn, woodcutting, picking mushrooms, and in his younger years, fox hunting. Al also enjoyed shaking dice and getting together with his coffee club at the Ding Dong and Main Street Cafes.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Bernice Karasch of Sauk Centre; children, Alan (Jan) Karasch of Sauk Rapids, Susan (Jerry) Haskamp of Sauk Centre, Gary (Penny) Karasch of Houlton, Wisconsin, Michael Karasch of Cottage Grove, Ervin Karasch of Sauk Centre, Steven Karasch of Rapid City, South Dakota, Vern (Kim) Karasch of East Bethel, Kenneth (Esther) Karasch of Eagle River, Alaska, Janet (John) Thieschafer of Sauk Centre, Robert (Lynn) Karasch of East Bethel, and Sandra (Jeff) Kuhnau of Osakis; 27 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters, Regina Grutsch of Avon, Delphine Kostreba of Sauk Centre, and Evelyn Ukkelberg of Sauk Centre; brothers, Val (Geneva) Karasch of Battle Lake and Raymond (Norma) Karasch of Sauk Centre; step-sisters, Irene Haskamp of Waite Park, Alice (Norm) Sterling of Sauk Centre, and Ginny (Joe) Jimenez of California; and step-brother, John (Donna) Jennissen of Sauk Centre.

Al was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Daniel, Melvin and Ervin Karasch.

Serving as casket bearers will be his grandsons, Brian Haskamp, Cory Haskamp, Nick Karasch, Adam Thieschafer, Jason Karasch, Aaron Karasch, Joe Thieschafer, and Nathan Karasch. Cross bearer will be his granddaughter, Anna Thieschafer and scripture bearer will be his granddaughter, Tia Karasch. Honorary bearers will be Bud Nordine, Reed Alter, Bud Wietzel, Tom Seawell, Glenn Domine, Paul Borgmann, and Bob Polipnick.