Ferdinand Stepan

Ferdinand J. "Ferdie" Stepan, age 97 of Sauk Centre, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Thursday, March 2, 2017 at the CentraCare Health Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 7 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Rev. Sudhansu Kumar, O.S.B. and Rev. Tim Wenzel will concelebrate with interment following in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. followed by the rosary led by the Knights of Columbus at 7 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Ferdie was born August 13, 1919, in Buckman, Minnesota to Albert and Marie (Dengel) Stepan. On June 20, 1944, he married Evelyn Ann Goerdt at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. After their marriage, the couple farmed by Sedan, Glenwood and Fulda, before they had the opportunity to purchase the Goerdt Family farm in 1969 in Sauk Centre. The couple retired from farming in 1990 and moved into Sauk Centre. They purchased a home in 1996 and began their retirement by enjoying their grandchildren and great-grandchildren and volunteering at Meals on Wheels. Ferdie delivered the "Senior Perspective" to the surrounding area and enjoyed the social contact with all the businesses. He accompanied a group (including a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law) to Nicaragua to help with a building project. He also became very involved in woodworking, specializing in small toys and games. For many years he donated these items to the Holy Family School fundraisers or gave them to grandchildren, etc. He would bring buckets of his spinners to the Pioneer Days and hand them out to the children who passed by.

Ferdie was very devoted to his Catholic faith and was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church and Bishop Busch Council 4863 Knights of Columbus. He was also an active member of the Stearns County Pioneer Club where he exhibited and demonstrated his wood splitter and "B" John Deere for nearly 30 years.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Stepan of Sauk Centre; children, Jim (Conny) Stepan of Willmar, Barbara Stepan of Calais, ME, Catherine Dawson of St. Paul, Ferdie Stepan of Greenwood, NE, Donna (Ron) Bromenshenkel of Sauk Centre, Maurice (Cindy) Stepan of Sauk Centre, Daniel (Jane) Stepan of Sauk Centre, Maria (Dale) Rieland of Sauk Centre; daughter-in-law, Julie Stepan of Sauk Centre; 31 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren with one great-grandson on the way, and four great-great-grandchildren with one great-great-grandchild on the way; and sisters, Mary Jo (Ralph) Di Mattia of Witchita, Kansas and Dolores (Richard) Gaida of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas.

Ferdie was preceded in death by his parents; sons, John and Kenneth Stepan; grandchild, Clint Stepan; great-grandchild, Colton Deters; daughter-in-law, Lylan Stepan; and brothers, Oswald, Lawrence and Clarence Stepan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Holy Family School in Sauk Centre.