Colleen K. Grapentin, 84, St. Cloud

May 7, 1939 - January 20, 2024

Colleen Grapentin, age 84 of St. Cloud, MN, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on January, 20, 2024, at her home. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 26, 2024, at Williams Dingmann Funeral Home in Princeton with visitation one hour prior to the service. Chaplain James Neppl will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Knoll Cemetery in Princeton.

Colleen Kay Peterson was born to Richard and Katheryn (Buckingham) Peterson on May 7, 1939, in Princeton. She grew up on the family farm in Long Siding, the oldest of six children. Graduating from Princeton High School in 1957, Colleen spent a couple years working in Minneapolis. She met Albert “Auggie” Grapentin at the “Kitten Club,” and they were married on May 21, 1960. The Army brought them to Fort Dix, NJ, during Auggie’s time in the service. Auggie and Colleen then returned home to Princeton. They were blessed with two daughters and raised them in St. Cloud, spending summers at their lake cabin on Black Water Lake.

Colleen worked 30 years for CentraCare as a physician’s scheduler and made friendships with her co-workers. She also worked part-time for Kohl’s, enjoying her employee discount for 20 years and bringing home her treasures.

So many memories were made on camping trips in the summer and on weekends at the cabin. She and Auggie traveled to the Dominican Republic and much of Central America after the girls were grown. They traveled around to casinos. Colleen’s “paradise” was Sanibel Island, FL, and she would spend week-long winter visits for 50 years. In 2012, they replaced their cabin with a year-round home.

Colleen will be dearly missed by her husband of nearly 64 years, Auggie; daughters, Linda Grapentin of St. Cloud and Kelly Grapentin (Steve) Nelson of Andover; grandsons, Brady Nelson of Blaine and Kal Nelson of River Falls, WI; siblings, Shirley Anderson of Zimmerman, Sandra Gerdin of Hilton Head, SC, Patricia Skarohlid of Princeton, Mary Beth (Roy) Valentini of Lakeville, and Rick Peterson of Princeton; sister-in-law, Lois Anderson of Machesney Park, IL; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers-in-law, Norman Anderson and Chuck Skarohlid; and nephew, Anthony “Tony” Valentini.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.