Frank P. Vetsch, Jr., 80, Milaca

March 23, 1939 - June 23, 2019

A Memorial Veterans’ Service for Frank Peter Vetsch, Jr., 80 years old, of Milaca, MN, will be held Saturday, June 29, 2019, at 11 AM at the Milaca Evangelical Free Church with Rev. Tom Sahlstrom officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Donna Sahlstrom will be the pianist, and Donna Pearson will be the organist. Honorary pallbearers are Bryan Vetsch, Josh Pardun, Michael Pardun, Bryce Ingalls, Dan Stoltz, and Don Bumgardner. Urnbearer will be Chad Vetsch. Inurnment will be at Oak Knoll Cemetery, Princeton, with military honors on Monday, July 1, 2019, at 1:00PM. Memorial and cremation arrangements are made by Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home of Princeton.

Our dear husband and daddy died Sunday, June 23, 2019, at 11:45 AM at the VA in St. Cloud. He is now singing with the choir in the heavens with his Savior Christ Jesus. Frank was born March 23, 1939, in Aberdeen, SD, to Frank P., Sr., and Anna (Koch) Vetsch. He accepted Christ Jesus as his savior as a boy in a Methodist Church in Aberdeen and rededicated his life to Christ in 1964 in Minneapolis. Frank lived his childhood in Aberdeen, entered the service, and joined the Air Force in October 1957, in Sioux Falls. He was discharged October 1961 in McClellan, CA, and served in the reserves obligation and was Honorably Discharged in October 1963. Frank married Janet Ann Ingalls, November 6, 1964, in Isanti. He lived in Coon Rapids, Princeton, and Milaca, MN.

Frank walked strongly in his faith as an elder, and he held other offices at the Princeton Evangelical Free Church and eventually as a trustee at the Milaca Evangelical Free Church. He enjoyed being in a men’s quartet and singing in a group called The Watchmen, with his rich bass voice. Frank also enjoyed photography, woodworking, and doing genealogy with his wife. Above all else, he loved his family and Jesus.

Frank is survived by his wife, Janet; children, Chad (Denise) Vetsch of Noble, OK, and Dawn (Lon) Pardun of Eau Claire, WI; grandchildren, Brytanny Vetsch, Bryanna Vetsch, Bryan Vetsch, Abigail Stillwell; step-grandchildren, Josh (Hannah) Pardun, Michael Pardun, Erin (Alexis) Butts-Ensor, and Kaitlyn (Matt) Macha; great-grandchildren, Parker Butts-Ensor and Garrett Allen Vetsch; sisters, Francis Johnson of Arizona and Jeanann Kukkola of Woodbury; brother, Deland (Diane) Vetsch of Virginia; and sisters-in-law, Janice Palmer of Colorado and Linda Vetsch of Aberdeen; and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wayne (Clara) Palmer; sisters, Lyla (Floyd) Johnson and Donna (Lawrence) Mardian; brothers, Philip Palmer and Laddie Vetsch; brothers-in-law, Stan Johnson, Sr., and Jerry Kukkola; and nieces and nephews.