Vernon Sanow Sr.

The funeral service for Vernon Sanow Sr., 92, of Tracy will be at 11:00 a.m. at the Tracy Lutheran Church on Saturday, August 3, 2024. Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Tracy. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment with military honors will follow at the Tracy Cemetery.

Vernon Sanow Sr. was born on June 15, 1932, in Iona, MN, to Frank and Fanna (Aljets) Sanow. He moved to Garvin in 1940 at eight years old, where he attended district 52 school until the eighth grade. Vern worked as a hired hand for two different farmers from 1948 until 1950, when he went to work at the Marshall Fur Farm until 1953. He was drafted into the US Army on January 20, 1953, and was sworn in at Sioux Falls, SD. Vern served in South Korea as a first cook in the mess hall at the Yongsan Garrison military base, 15 miles from Seoul. He was honorably discharged on January 20, 1955, from Camp Carlton, CO.

Vern held a variety of jobs throughout his life. After his service in the Army, he worked at the Marshall Fur Farm until 1976, then Marshall Foods for two years. He then worked at the Eliof Johanson Fur Farm in Tyler until 1992. He later worked at Schwan’s, Greenwood Nursery in Tracy, North Star in Tracy, Tracy Floral, Scott’s Liquid Handling, and D&G Custom Services. He was still working at the age of 90, and he instilled a strong work ethic in his children as well.

Vern and Katherine (Haney) Sanow met when Sylvia (Sanow) Roberts encouraged Kate to exchange letters with her brother Vernon while he was in the Army. Vern received his first letter from Kate in February 1954, and this continued until he was discharged in January 1955. Vern and Kate dated for a year before marriage, as Kate was still in high school. They were married September 1, 1956, at the Church of Christ in Tracy with Homer Dobson officiating. From this union they had seven children: Deb (Mark) Magnuson, Vernon Jr. “Shorty” (Cindy), Jerry (Kim), Marvin “Louie” (Mary), Kelly, Scott “Whitey” (Julie), Tammy (Kevin) Hoflock, and foster son Patrick (Dyann) McCarthy.

Vern was happiest when working and spending time with family and friends, cooking many Sunday suppers. He was very mechanical and could fix almost anything. He enjoyed fishing and telling stories, as well as gardening and working in his greenhouse. Vern loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Vernon died on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, at Our House of Murray County in Slayton, MN. He is survived by his children Deb, Shorty, Louie, Whitey, and Pat; 14 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Cecelia Sanow and Janice Sanow; brother-in-law Gary Roberts; as well as many relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife Kate, daughter Kelly at birth, daughter Tammy, and son Jerry; his parents Frank and Fanna; and siblings Frances, Bill, Harold, Louise, Alice, August “Bud”, Sylvester, Fred, Frank, Viola, Ray, Sylvia, Rosetta, and Donnie.