Luke John Prairie

Luke J. Prairie age 17, of Balaton, MN died Thursday, July 16, 2009 at the Avera-McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. A funeral service will be held 11:00 AM Tuesday, July 21, 2009 at the Tracy Area High School Gymnasium. Visitation will be from 3:00 until 8:00 PM Monday, July 20, 2009 at the Almlie Funeral Home in Tracy, MN. There will be a prayer service at 7:00 PM Monday and the visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the School on Tuesday. Interment will be in the Sillerud Lutheran Cemetery, rural Balaton. The Almlie Funeral Home of Balaton is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be placed at www.almliefh.com Luke John Prairie was born on November 26, 1991 to Fay (Habben) and Doug Prairie in Marshall, Minnesota. He grew up with his family on a farm southwest of Balaton. His boyhood years were full of playing with his brothers and close friends in the grove and at Current Lake. His brothers were very important to him, and he loved them and they loved him. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Sillerud Lutheran Church. Luke attended Tracy Area High School, where he was very active in wrestling and it was a pleasure to see him in action. He liked golf and boating, especially being on the tube. It was tough to throw him off. Luke had a wonderful smile and a quiet, calm demeanor. He was a man of few words, but Luke touched many lives and had many friends who loved him. Luke died Thursday, July 16, 2009 at the Avera-McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. He is survived by his parents, Doug and Fay Prairie of Balaton, MN; brother and sister-in-law Matthew and Mandy Prairie of Colorado Springs, CO, James Prairie of Savannah, GA, and Andrew Prairie of Balaton, MN; maternal grandmother, Margaret Habben of Russell, MN; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and a whole host of friends. His paternal grandparents, George and Agnes Prairie, and his maternal grandfather, Ed Habben, preceded him death. Luke's final act was to give the gift of life through organ/tissue donation. Blessed be his memory.