Gene E. Kiecker

Obituary

Gene Emmett Kiecker was born on July 3, 1938, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota, to Edward R. Kiecker and Ruth M. (Rieke) Kiecker of rural Fairfax, Minnesota.  He was baptized into God’s kingdom on July 25, 1938, and later confirmed in his faith, March 25, 1951.

After graduating from Fairfax Public High School the summer of 1955, Gene entered the United States Army in the fall of 1956. He served his country being stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas, as a military policeman and was honorably discharged, returning home to take up farming in the fall of 1958. 

Gene met Carol Florence Rosenau while singing in the choir at Emanuel Lutheran Church and they were soon married, December 28, 1960.  In the coming years, their marriage was blessed with six children and they recently shared their 56^th wedding anniversary together. Gene was a member of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Wellington Township, Renville County, Minnesota. 

Gene retired from the U.S. Postal Service and a life of farming.  For six years, he wrote and edited for the New Ulm Journal newspaper. Gene also wrote a commentary column for an additional 11 years which was published in several local area weekly newspapers.  He received several state newspaper awards for his journalism, writing about his favorite subjects, his family.  Gene loved hunting the elusive morel mushroom, making homemade maple syrup, and the taste of fresh sweet corn.

He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at the age of 78 years. He was blind, but now he sees!

Gene is survived by his:
Wife,                Carol of 56 years;
Sons,                Brian and his wife, Sally Kiecker of Fort Dodge, IA; and their family Brian Kiecker Jr. with his wife, Angela, of Gibbon, MN, with their children, Oliver, Jackson, Henry, Brian III, and Liam. Rachel (Kiecker) Dauer and her husband, Matthew of New Ulm, MN, and their children, Michael, Matthew, Madison and Maverick. Amber Kiecker of Sleepy Eye, MN, and her children, Peyton and Clarence;
Dale Kiecker, who became his right hand, also of Fairfax, MN;
Gary Kiecker of Minnetonka, MN, and his family, Kayla Kiecker of Prosser, WA, Joshua and Tiffanee Kiecker of Elk River, MN, with their daughter, Kadence;
Daughter,          Laurie (Kiecker) Hammerschmidt and her husband, Todd of Sleepy Eye, MN, along with their family, Chelsea Hammerschmidt of Minneapolis, MN, Andrew and Nadia Hammerschmidt of Springfield, MN, and their son, Mason, and Stephanie Hammerschmidt of Sleepy Eye, MN;
Sons,                Gene Kiecker, Jr. and wife, Stacy of Farmington, MN, with their children, Kaitlin Kiecker of Rochester, MN, and Nicholas Kiecker of Farmington, MN;
LeRoy and wife, Cheryl Kiecker of Mankato, MN, along with their children Jacob, Ethan and Hannah;
Stepmother,       Lois (Albrecht) Kiecker of Fairfax, and her children, Gwen (Kiecker) Manthei and husband Mark of Petosky, MI, Sue (Kiecker) Cottrell and husband, Dean of Ham Lake, MN, and Reverend Peter and wife, Laura Kiecker of Watertown, WI;
along with many nieces and nephews.

Gene was preceded in death by his father, Edward and his mother, Ruth.