Ermalinda Pflipsen

Ermalinda M. "Irma" Pflipsen, age 90 of Sauk Centre, died peacefully on Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, June 20 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Todd Schneider officiating. Inurnment will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. followed by the Christian Mothers at 6 p.m. and the Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 Auxiliary at 6:30 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Irma Pflipsen was born October 30, 1917 in St. Martin, Minnesota to Henry and Rose (Hiltner) Adrian. She attended Country School then St. Boniface Elementary in Melrose and graduated from Sauk Centre High School in 1938. After high school, Irma spent one year in St. Paul with her sisters working as a secretary. She married Clarence Pflipsen on October 10, 1939 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. When Clarence was drafted during WWII, Irma went to work again in the Twin Cities at a defense plant making devices for bomb sights. After the war, Irma worked for her sister, Jeanne, doing the mailing for her business. She went to work for JC Penney in 1968 as a catalog supervisor. After retiring from JC Penney in 1985, she then went to work at Holy Family School in Sauk Centre as a Foster Grandma where she has been until April 2008.Irma was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre, Christian Mothers, Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 Auxiliary, American Legion Post 67 Auxiliary and actively involved in the Foster Grandparent Program. Over the years, Irma has had many pastimes including reading, crocheting, coin collecting, and playing BINGO. She loved watching the Minnesota Twins. Irma's passion was spending time with her family and especially enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include her children, Ed (Siri) Pflipsen of Sioux Falls, SD and Pam (Bob) McLellan of Sauk Centre; seven grandchildren, Jon (Janet) Pflipsen of Kent, WA, Michael (Tamara) Pflipsen of Bloomington, Ryan Pflipsen of San Antonio, TX, Jason (Tara) McLellan of Sauk Centre, Gretchen (Eron) Bordson of Becker, Patrick Pflipsen of Santa Barbara, CA, and Jacob (Kim) McLellan of Brainerd; ten great-grandchildren; brother and sisters, Regina "Regs" Cruikshank of St. Paul, Evelyn Peterson of Yuba City, CA, and Jack Adrian of Modesto, CA.

Irma was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Clarence Pflipsen on March 20, 1988; son, Donald Pflipsen on November 21, 1981; brothers and sisters, Jeanne Adrian, Max Adrian, Severin "Sep" Adrian, Mildred Kozlak, Betty Lou Adrian, Oliver Adrian, and Geraldine Adrian; and granddaughter, Linda Marie Pflipsen.

Serving as urn bearers will be Jon Pflipsen, Michael Pflipsen, Ryan Pflipsen, Jason McLellan, Gretchen Bordson, Patrick Pflipsen, and Jake McLellan. Cross bearer will be Katie Pflipsen and scripture bearer will be Donnie Pflipsen. Honorary bearers will be Foster Grandparents. Gift bearers will be fifth grade students and mass servers will be sixth grade students all from Holy Family School. Lector will be Lynn Peterson. Petitions will be read by Eron Bordson. Eucharistic Minister will be Ed Pflipsen. Eulogy will be read by Jake McLellan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Holy Family School, 231 Sinclair Lewis Avenue Sauk Centre, MN 56378.