George J Kroll

George J. Kroll 83 year old resident of Pierz, MN passed away Monday, November 3, 2014 at St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, MN. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, November 6, 2014 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pierz, MN with Father Kenneth Popp officiating and Father Tony Kroll concelebrating. Burial will take place in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls, MN. A visitation will be held from 10 - 11 A.M. on Thursday at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pierz, MN. Funeral arrangements are with the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz, MN. George was born on April 23, 1931 in Royalton, Minnesota to the late William and Rose (Cekalla) Kroll. He went to a country school in Royalton. After school, George farmed in North Dakota and Montana and picked apples in Washington state. He joined the United States Navy and served during the Korean War aboard the Howard W. Gilmore. George was united in marriage to Bernardine Merkling on February 6, 1956 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pierz, MN. The couple moved to Ely, where George worked in the mining industry until 1978. They relocated to Sobieski and wintered in Texas and Arizona. George loved traveling, fishing, snowmobiling, bulldozing, listening to polka music and was an avid tree planter. He also enjoyed fixing things, everything mechanical to houses and loved to garden; growing things from his own seeds. He will be remembered as being a storyteller, telling many stories of his Navy career. His famous saying was “rise and shine, daylight in the swamp,” which meant get up and get moving. George was a member of St. Joseph’s Church, American Legion, VFW, and Moose Lodge. He lived by the motto, “pray like you’re gonna die tomorrow and save like you’ll live forever”. George is survived by loving wife of 59 years Bernardine, of Pierz, MN; children, Patti Kroll of Townsend, MT; Peggy (Ted) Beckman of Columbia Heights, MN; Scott (Kyong) Kroll of Garrison, MN; and Billie Jo (Bill) Hawley of Ely, MN; daughter-in-law, Jeanette Raab-Kroll of Rice, MN; 12 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren; siblings, Fidelis (Maggie) Kroll of Hoffman, MN; Alois Kroll of Columbia Heights, MN; Joseph A. (Helen) Kroll of Royalton, MN; Marcy Zilkoski of Little Falls, MN; Mary Heinzen of Eagan, MN; Evelyn (Bruce) Lindquist of Crystal, MN; Terry White of Richfield, MN; Cecelia Kroll of Simi Valley, CA; Irene (Dick) Ernst of Oklahoma City, OK. He was preceded in death by parents, William and Rose; son, Jeffery; brothers, Paul and Peter; sisters, Sr. Felicia, Caroline, Clara, and Francis. Pallbearers will be George’s grandsons, Mathew Beckman, Kevin Kronfuss, Brent Kronfuss, Nathaniel Hawley, Boone Hawley, and Jake Hawley.

Tributes

George J Kroll

April 23, 1931 - November 3, 2014