Wallace W. Warnke

Obituary

Wallace William Warnke was born June 29, 1926, in Glencoe, Minnesota. He was the son of William George and Olga (Henkelmann) Warnke. He was baptized as an infant on July 12, 1926, by Rev. Kolbe and later was confirmed in his faith as a youth on April 21, 1940, by Rev. Streufert, both at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. Wallace received his education in Glencoe.                                                                                                                         

Wallace entered active military service in the United States Army on June 25, 1945, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Part of The Greatest Generation, he served his country as an army medic in World War II. Wallace was stationed at a hospital on the army base in Bremerhaven, Germany. He received an Honorable Discharge on August 10, 1946, at Fort Sheridan Illinois, and achieved the rank of Tec 4, signed to Detachment A, 121^st General Hospital.

Wallace started working in the horse sales business with his father, William Warnke, in 1946. The site of the current funeral home is where their Square Deal Horse Market sales barn was located. Eventually he became a livestock dealer, buying and selling dairy cattle in this area and throughout the middle of the state, although some of his cattle went as far as the East Coast and Mexico City.

On June 3, 1950, Wallace was united in marriage to Dorothy Ann Belter by Pastor Edgar Streufert at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe. They made their home in Glencoe and their marriage was blessed with three children, Thomas, Robert and Jon. Always together, Wallace was heartbroken when Dorothy Ann passed away on April 12, 2013.

Fit and trim all his life, Wally loved to slip on his old army coat for Veterans Day events (even the buttons closed). He was a dapper dresser and no one appreciated a tailored suit or sport coat more than Wally. He wore one almost every Sunday to church.

Throughout the years, Wallace and Dorothy Ann enjoyed many trips and vacations, including overseas and occasionally with Glencoe area friends. In addition, they loved creating memories with family and friends at their lake cabin and on the golf course.

Zoom video chats with his children and grandchildren were a highlight in the last few months when in-person visits were not allowed because of the pandemic.

Wallace passed away at Grand Meadows on Friday, July 3, 2020, from complications of a fall. He was 94 years and 4 days. Blessed be his memory.

Memorials can be directed to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1407 Cedar Ave N, Glencoe, MN 55336.

Wallace is survived by his:
Sons, Thomas Warnke and his wife, Pamela, of Blaine, MN,
Robert Warnke and his wife, Jeannine, of Spooner, WI,
Jon Warnke and his wife, Shelly, of Savage, MN;
Grandchildren, Aislinn Warnke and husband Chris Jones of Minneapolis, MN,
Abby Cummings and her husband Don of Elk River, MN,
Nicholas Warnke and his wife Edelin of Spring Hill, FL,|
Jesse Warnke and his wife Desiree of Reno, NV,
Laine Rust and her husband John of Roseville, MN,
Megan Reagan and her husband Jack of Minneapolis, MN;
Great-grandchildren, Everlyse, Ender, Ensley and Eli Warnke;
Sister, Carol Sandau of Fridley, MN;
Nieces, Nephews, Other relatives and many friends.

Wallace is preceded in death by his parents, William and Olga Warnke; wife, Dorothy Ann; daughter-in-law, Brenda Warnke; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Roger Sandau, Virgil Belter and his wife, Vera, Lillian Schrupp and her husband, John, Lawrence Belter and his wife, Ruth.