Loretta Peifer

Loretta A. Peifer, age 85 of Melrose, died Sunday, October 19, 2014 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, October 23 at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Upsala with Rev. Ken Bowman officiating. A private inurnment will take place at a later date.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, October 22 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and 1 hour prior to the service at the church in Upsala.

Loretta Peifer was born Loretta Ann Brinkman on October 23rd, 1928 to William and Ludwina Brinkman. She married Billy Peifer Jr on November 13th, 1947 and raised their family together until his passing in January 1995. Loretta was a small woman who was larger than life to those she touched. Loretta believed in the multiplying power of love and adopted many people into her heart. Through her broad idea of family, she treated those she adopted with respect and love, changing their lives forever. For those who knew and loved her, she was and will continue to be a guiding light in their lives. Loretta passed from this world at 5:03PM on October 19th, 2014. She was just four days shy of her 86th birthday. Although few knew, Loretta was battling lung disease and was unable to overcome complications following a fall where she broke her hip.

Loretta was preceded in death by her loving husband, Billy Peifer Jr, her parents William and Ludwina Brinkman, her brother Ron Brinkman, and her son Thomas. She leaves behind a large, loving family. Loretta shared her final years with her companion Elmer Gangl, who offered her gentleness and loving companionship, giving her much joy. Her oldest son Richard (Dick) with his wife Ruth and Dick's children; William (Bill) and his children, Elliana, Shelby, and William Jr.; Lucas with his wife Jen and their children, Ian and Audrey; Amanda with her husband Chad Meyer and their children, Emma, Hannah, and Austin; Sarah with her husband Charles Eiden and their daughters, Elizabeth, Abigail, Rebecca, and Rachel. Her second son Craig with his husband Larry. Her third son John with his wife Rhoda and their daughters; Laura with her husband Brian Wilson and their daughters, Anna and Megan; Rebecca; and Mary with her husband Mark Thompson. Her fifth son Lance with his wife Charyl and their daughters; Lacey with her fiancé Untra Foster, and Jaynie with her husband Robert Burnett. Her precious daughter, Ann Nyberg and her daughter Grace. With Elmer she shared her life with Elmer's daughter Joyce and her husband Doug, and became a grandmother to their children Taylor, Austin, and Kelsey. She will be deeply missed by her siblings Eugene Brinkman of Melrose, Annamae Layton of Oregon, Gloria Lynn of Sauk Centre, Eileen Springer of Colorado, Stanley Brinkman of Round Prairie as well as countless nieces and nephews. In addition there is her nephew, David Peifer and his wife Joyce with their daughters Sophia and Shoshanna who were brought into her family after the loss of David's parents.

A miracle from the very beginning, she was born on a farm in Lake George Township, an Elrosa MN address, at the unbelievable size of just 2-1/2 pounds. Her parents kept her in a cigar box on the stove to keep her warm. But Loretta was not just to survive, she was to grow to become an incredible woman with a very high intelligence and an incredible depth of character. Loretta was a person of accomplishment and became a realtor in her 40's and spent many years as an active lobbyist for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Loretta was a strong believer in human rights and the dignity of all people, and lived these beliefs throughout her life. Loretta lived life with joy and spread that joy and her love to all who met her. For those who knew and loved her, she was and will continue to be a guiding light in their lives. Loretta taught by example and lived by her own code to treat others as she wanted to be treated and to look beyond the surface to find the real person beneath the surface. She taught her children that even in the toughest situation, if you look for it, you can find a silver lining.