Charles "Charlie" Pflipsen

Charles “Charlie” Pflipsen, age 85 of Melrose, passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 28, 2021 at the CentraCare Care Center in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12 p.m. Thursday, March 4 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating.  Interment will be in the parish cemetery with military honors provided by the Melrose Veterans Honor Guard.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Charles Nicholas Pflipsen was born September 5, 1935 in New Munich, Minnesota to Paul and Loretta  (Stroering) Pflipsen. He graduated from Melrose High School in 1953. Charlie served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged on September 21, 1956.  He was united in marriage to Arlene Moening on June 7, 1958 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose. Charlie was a truck driver for Kraft Foods for 35 years until his retirement in 1993 and resided in Columbia Heights until 1994.

He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose, St. Rosa Lions, and the Melrose American Legion Post 101. In his younger years, Charlie enjoyed playing baseball, later in life, he enjoyed going on pontoon rides on Little and Big Birch Lake.

Survivors include his loving wife of 62 years, Arlene Pflipsen of Melrose; children, Susan (John) Paulson of Lino Lakes, Paul (Cynthia) Pflipsen of Fargo, North Dakota, and Jim (Karen) Pflipsen of New Munich; 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Marian Dierkhissing; and brothers, Allen, Donald, and Richard Pflipsen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Mathew Paulson, Charles Pflipsen, Thomas Pflipsen, Phillip Pflipsen, Harrisson Pflipsen, JohnPaul Pflipsen, and Kalvin Sandvig.  Cross bearer will be Missy McGough and scripture bearer will be Kally Miller.  Readers will be Mackenzie Theis, Elizabeth Pflipsen, and Marquelle Theis.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Alzheimer’s Association.