Johann Pagel

Johann "John" Pagel, age 43 of Sauk Centre, died Sunday, September 26, 2010 at his home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota after a courageous battle with cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, September 30 at First Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Rebecca Thomas officiating. Interment will follow in Greenwood Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and at the church 1 hour prior to the service on Thursday.

Johann "John" Pagel was born October 25, 1966 in Siefersheim, Germany to Harry Zerbe and Martha (Steller) Pagel. He graduated from Melrose High School in 1985. That same year he joined the United States Army and was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington, Camp Hovey, Korea, and Fort Wainwright, Alaska before he was honorably discharged in 1991. On December 5, 1986 he was united in marriage to Jane Schaeffer at First Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre. He lived in Sauk Centre after his discharge from the military until 1993 when he went to work for Polaris, in Roseau, where he worked until 2001. He then returned to Sauk Centre and worked for Felling Trailers until his illness disabled him in 2002.John loved spending time with his daughters and taught them how to fish and hunt at an early age. He also enjoyed fishing with his father-in-law, Richard, hunting with his uncle, Roger and watching demolition derbies. He always tried to give everyone a laugh and he hardly missed a Twins or Vikings game.

He was a member of First Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre.

John is survived by his wife, Jane Pagel of Sauk Centre; daughters, Kristyna (Ben Selfors) Pagel of Sauk Centre and Brianna Pagel of Sauk Centre; parents, Al and Martha Pagel of Sauk Centre; brothers, Emil Pagel of Sauk Centre and Shane (Tanja) Zerbe of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; sisters, Sandra Reiter of Minneapolis and Janet (Kevin) Sommer of Centerville, Maryland; father and mother-in-law, Richard and Betty Schaeffer of Sauk Centre; brothers-in-law, Terry (Cindy) Schaeffer of Savage and Scott (Claudette) Schaeffer of Sauk Centre; sister-in-law, Cindi (Herb) Trisco of Sauk Centre; and 12 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harry Zerbe; and his grandparents.

Serving as casket bearers will be Ben Selfors, Torry Johnson, Dick Eckberg, Taylor Tubbs, Ken Rafteseth, and Ron Dickhaus. Honorary bearers will be his uncle, Roger and aunt, Jojo Pagel.