Joseph Beste

Joseph J. "Joe" Beste, age 92, passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2011 surrounded by his family, at St. Michael's Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, December 19, 2011 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Todd Schneider officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery with full military honors provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 18 and from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at the Patton- Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be held at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Joseph John Beste was born on December 7, 1919 in Sauk Centre Township in Stearns County to Joseph H. and Elizabeth (Heidgerken) Beste. He was the second youngest of eleven children. After graduating from high school, Joe went to Santa Monica to work at McDonald Douglas. When he was 22 he entered the US Army Air Force and served as a Top Turret Gunner and Flight Engineer on the B-17 Bomber. On September 22, 1944, his plane was shot down and he safely parachuted out and landed in France. He was honorably discharged on October 14, 1945. On September 14, 1945, Joe married the love of his life, Lois Weyhrich in Great Bend, Kansas. They farmed in the Padua area until 1960 when they moved to Sauk Centre and Joe found employment with the United States Post Office. He continued to work there until his retirement in 1985. Joe loved to golf, play cards and drink coffee with his friends at the local cafes. He also loved sports and playing football for the Sauk Centre High School teams during the 1930's.

Joe was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, The Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 and the Bishop Busch Council #4863 Knights of Columbus.

Joe is survived by his son Robert (Rose) Beste of Grey Eagle; granddaughter, Karri Bauer of Albany (who Joe and Lois raised when her mother died in 1971); grandchildren, Christopher Beste of Rochester, Jennifer (Kevin) Kluver of Lowry, Erica (Andrew) Hayashida of Billings, Montana, Stephanie Beste of Dillon, Colorado; step-grandchildren, Robyn (Mark) Anhorn of Champlin, Andrea (David) Carbajal of Oxford, Iowa, Scott Hejl of St. Cloud; seven great-grandchildren and six great grand-step- children.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Lois; his daughter, Kathleen; his son James; grandson, Little Jimmy; his brothers, George, Conrad, William, Robert, Herbert, Herman and Edmund; his sisters, Angeline Botz, Clara Kenna and Hilda Beste.

Casket bearers will be Kenny Beste, John Kirschner, Gloria Otte, Dick Zimmerman, Marilyn Klaphake and Loren Beste. Cross bearer will be James Beste. Scripture bearer will be Sharon Arnzen. Gift bearers will be Amanda, Cody and Marissa. Honorary bearers will be Donald Roquette, Myrtle Judes, Mona Korhorst, Ralph Braun, Jerome Pelkey, Dennis Zimmerman, Patty Borgman, Donald and Veronia Ripka, Donald and Eileen Fritzlar, Herbert and Alice Peters, Clarance Morgan, Lawrence and Alice Gritzmacher, and Orville Vangstad.