Service Information
Allen A. Uecker, age 82, of Springdale, Arkansas, formerly Gaylord, Minnesota, passed away on Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Springdale.
Memorial Service will be Thursday, July 22, 2021, 11:00 A.M. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord with interment in the Gaylord City Cemetery.
Gathering of Family and Friends will be one hour prior to the service.
Military Honors by the Manthey-Asmus American Legion Post #433 in Gaylord
Obituary
Allen Arnold Uecker was born on December 20, 1938, in Biscay, Minnesota. He was the son of William Uecker Sr. and Irma (Krecklau) Uecker. Allen was baptized as an infant in Biscay and confirmed in his faith as a youth at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord. He received his education at Immanuel Parochial School (grades 1-8) in Gaylord and graduated from Gaylord High School in 1956.
Allen joined the army after high school and was stationed in Japan. After an honorable discharge, he worked at Fingerhut Manufacturing in Gaylord and also St. Cloud, where he was a supervisor. On December 11, 1963, Allen was united in marriage to Val Roepke at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Fernando (Stewart), Minnesota. This marriage was blessed with two children, Julie and Tammy.
In 1970, Allen started farming. He spent 28 years farming in rural Brownton. In 1998, he moved to Springdale, Arkansas.
Allen enjoyed deer hunting, spending time at the cabin, reading, and watching television. He spent his retirement years in Springdale, Arkansas, with his partner, Kikue Pearson.
Allen passed away of a heart attack on Thursday, July 1, 2021, in Springdale, Arkansas, at the age of 82 years.
Blessed be his memory.
Allen is survived by his:
Daughters, Julie Matheny and her husband, Jared, and Tammy Kosek-Maiers;
Partner, Kikue Pearson;
Grandchildren, Camille Matheny, Jack Matheny, Nicholas Kosek, William Maiers, Bennett Maiers;
Brother, George (Lorraine) Uecker;
Sisters, Phyllis Swanson, Beverly Graupmann;
Many other relatives.
Allen is preceded in death by his Parents, William Sr. and Irma Uecker; Brother, William Uecker, Jr.; Sister, Dolores Dreier; infant twin sisters; Brothers-in-law, Hubert Swanson, Elmer Graupmann, Lloyd Reinitz, Howard Dreier; Sister-in-law, Esther Uecker.
Nathan Maiers says
I’m very grateful I got to know Al. He was a great friend and mentor. He was many things. He was an inventor, with how he fixed and modified or built functional gadgets around the cabin and his deer stands. He was a great American and always exercised his right to vote. He loved to see the American flag being displayed. He remembered how wonderful it made him feel when he was serving in the army in Japan and would see it flying proudly at the base he was at when he returned from leave. He was full of knowledge from American and world history to current events, farming, religion and from life’s experiences. He had a sense of humor that everyone could enjoy like how he had both of us pose at his cabin for our deer hunting picture with fake plastic grenades. He loved that cabin. He built it around 1960 and still referred to it as ” the promised land” . It was his sanctuary and the happiest place on earth for him. At deer hunting time he liked to get the cabin nice and toasty to about 85 degrees with burning wood in the stove. He liked music by Vern Gosdin, cheap beer and the era of cowboys. He loved telling stories and had many jokes. He loved auctions and finding good deals on anything he deemed useful. He loved to read. Most of all he loved his family and grandchildren and Kikue, his companion for many of these last years. He was always planning ahead and ready for whatever came his way. He considered himself a survivor, and he was, but no one lives forever. Al will be missed. To help preserve his memory I play “remember when” with William and Bennett. I think they enjoyed the cookies and donuts that seemed to have no limits at the cabin. There are many thoughts rolling around my memory right now and these are just a few that came out. Rest in peace, Allen.