Wallace Pesch

Wallace Robert Pesch was born on June 20, 1926, in Minneota,to Wayne Rupert and Maria Gudmunda(Rafnson) Pesch. Wally graduated from Minneota High School in 1944. He attended the University of Minnesota where he was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma. He was also a graduate of the Minnesota School of Business at Minneapolis, the Wisconsin School of Banking at Madison, and the Midwest Banking Institute at the U of M Morris. Wally started work at the Minneota Bank in 1947 and continued his career in banking until his retirement in 1989 as Senior Vice President of the Marshall and Minneota Banks and the Managing Officer of the Ivanhoe Bank. Wally was very active in his community. He was on the planning committee for the 1980 Minneota Centennial Celebration, he was an active Charter Member of the Minneota Development Corporation, he was a Charter Member of the Board of the Minneota Community Chest, he was a Charter Member of the Board of Directors and Secretary/Treasurer for the Minneota Golf Course and he was instrumental in bringing the wrestling program back to Minneota High School after it was cancelled in 1985. Wally was also active in his church by serving on Church Council and the Board of Trustees and as Treasurer of the Church and Sunday School. He was Chairman of the Lyon County March of Dimes and was honored by the U.S. President for 25 active years as the Registrar of Selective Service. On July 19, 1952 Wally was united in marriage to Marjorie Alleckson. Friends were very important to Wally. You could always get him to sit in on a card game or a cup of coffee. He was an avid reader and sportsman. Wally was a constant supporter in all his children's and grandchildren's lives. He attended countless dance recitals, plays, wrestling matches, baseball, and football games, choir concerts, took them fishing, hunting, golfing, and many family vacations. He was the moral compass of our family by setting a great example not through lectures but simply by the way he lived his life. In 2004, Wally moved to Henderson to be closer to his family. He died at his son's home in Henderson on Thursday, December 11, 2008. He is survived by the love of his life, wife of 56 years, Margie Alleckson Pesch, daughter Robyn (and Terry) Dwyer of Stillwater, daughter Rhonda (and Mike) Burke of Roseville, sons Kim (and Ruth) Pesch of Buffalo, Kurt (and Kathy) Pesch of Perham and J.D. (and Paula) Pesch of Henderson, grandchildren Honour Wirwahn, Matthew Wirwahn, Jessica (and Jeff) Laleman, Ryan (and Melissa) Burke, Brittany and Ariel Pesch, Danielle, Kassie and Alie Pesch, Zach, Charlie, Henry, Teddy and Ellie Pesch, great-grandchildren Bella, Lexy, and Zane Laleman and Monique and Jayden Wirwahn. He was preceded in death by his grandmother Sarah Rafnson(who lived to be 103), father Wayne, mother Maria, sister Dorothy and brother Donald.