Lanny Kiecker

Obituary

Lanny James Kiecker was born to Clifford and Mary (Case) Kiecker on May 21, 1941 at Sleepy Eye Hospital. He was baptized in his faith at St. John Lutheran Church of Fairfax. He attended both Fairfax Public School and St. John Grade School and then graduated from Fairfax High School with the Class of 1959. During high school, he was active in Future Farmers of America and lettered in sports.               

Following high school graduation, Lanny enlisted in the United States Army Reserves. He was a part of the build-up during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. He was inoculated, issued live ammunition and was ready to board his transport when the 13-day confrontation was called off.             

Lanny married YaVonne Hirschey on April 8th, 1962. The marriage was blessed with four children: Kari Jean, Dynnette Rose, Todd Michael (later called Austin) and Tonya Lynae. After their divorce, he met and married Louise Steinhouse on August 7, 1982. They continued the farming, hog and seed operations at Fairfax and also farmed at Battle Lake, Minnesota.

Selling corn and soybean seed was a huge part of his life, and he sold for several different companies, because many of the seed companies were bought out and/or combined with others. He also raised seed soybeans for some of the companies. Lanny ran Kiecker Gun Shop out of his home in his early years. In 1991, Lanny and Louise purchased the Fairfax Motel and ran it with the help of family members until selling it in 2015. He and former son-in-law, Steve Williams operated K & W Towing. Lanny also enjoyed a 10-year employment with Kraft Foods in New Ulm.               

As a lifelong member of St. John Lutheran Church, Lanny served as church council secretary, usher, choir member, and on the cemetery board. He was past president of both the Renville County National Farmers Organization and the Renville County Republicans. Lanny was the treasurer of the Fairfax Lions. He also received the Minnesota Young Farmer award from the American Soybean Association.               

He loved to travel, hunt and fish, especially in Sitka, Alaska, with his good friend Don Seesz and to Canada (where he received two Manitoba Master Angler certificates), North and South Dakota with his cousin Robert Kiecker and friends. Lanny kept in touch with many far-flung family and friends.               

Lanny was involved in a grain truck/semi accident on September 24, 2003, near Winthrop and was air-ambulanced to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale with a traumatic brain injury. He rebounded from that accident to retire from Kraft and continue farming until his grandson Tyler Burshem could farm with Louise. Parkinson symptoms later developed due to the accident. Gradually, he became unable to continue his daily activities. He entered the Fairfax Community Home in February of 2018 after breaking his hip in a fall at home.              

Lanny is survived by his:
wife,                       Louise of Fairfax,
daughters,             Kari Burshem of Andover,
                                Dynnette (Sebastian) Mularczyk of St. Michael,
                                Tonya Kiecker of Otsego;
grandchildren, Nichole (Shawn) Cazett of Ramsey, Sean (Heather) Burshem of Oak Grove, Kayla (Gary) Hagensen of Otsego, Cody Williams of St. Michael and his fiancée, Nichole Stewart of Maple Grove, Dylan Williams and his fiancée, Ali Selhaver of Becker, Tyler Burshem of Ramsey;
great-grandchildren, Jayden Cazett, Gavin Cazett, Austin Burshem, Scarlet Hagensen, Bayne Williams, Graham Burshem, Adam Hagensen and Maverick Williams;
sister, Susan (Larry) Taylor of St. Paul Park;
sisters-in law, Dorothy (Dale) Patrick of Bismarck, ND and Judy Steinhouse of Fargo, ND,
and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Clifford and Mary Kiecker; son, Austin Todd Michael Kiecker; step-mother, Pearl Bernelda Kiecker; brother-in-law, Louis Vallincourt; in-laws, Delmer and Ruth Steinhouse.