Kenneth Alexander St. John

Mass of Christian Burial for Kenneth St. John, age 89, of Milaca, will be held Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at 10 AM at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Milaca with Father James Remmerswaal, OSC, officiating. Visitation will be held 4-7 PM Tuesday at the Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home and also one hour prior to services at the church. Serving as casketbearers will be Tim Selix, Jerry Lundeen, Greg Jones, Chad Mero, Art Kent, and Clarence Petron. The Milaca Volunteer Fire Department will serve as honorary casketbearers. Military Honors will be provided be Hansen-Hayes American Legion Post #178 and Siemers-Hakes VFW Post #10794. Memorials are preferred to the Gary St. John Scholarship through the Milaca Scholarship Foundation. Kenneth Alexander St. John was born November 11, 1923 to William and Marsella (Fraser) St. John in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The family moved to the United States and Ken attended and graduated from Aitkin High School. He was inducted into the United States Navy in June 1943. Ken was united in marriage to Ellen Hoplin on October 12, 1947. They had four children: Gary, Cathy, Mike, and Randy. Ken and Ellen lived in Pine River from 1947-1955, which at that time, they moved to Milaca. Throughout the years, Ken worked at Purity Milk Company, Dietz Garage, American Legion, and Smith System. Ken was an active member of the American Legion and the Pine River and Milaca Fire Departments. Ken loved to spend summers at Fritz’s Campground in Nisswa, where he had a seasonal site for over forty years. Ken liked golfing at Fritz’s, bingo, meat raffles, and spending time with family and friends. Ken passed away Saturday, July 20, 2013 at the Saint Cloud Hospital. Ken is survived by daughter, Cathy (Tom) Lundeen of Princeton; sons, Mike (Lynn) of Andover and Randy of Brainerd; his significant other of twenty years, Mary Jones; her children, Cheryl, Greg, Theresa, Randy, and Jennifer and their families; four grandchildren, Carla (Tim) Selix of Mora, Jerry (Jenny) Lundeen of Swanville, Alissa and Chastin St. John of Brainerd; seven-great grandchildren, Nate Selix, Zachary Selix, Nicole Selix, Zaidee Lundeen, Cullen Lundeen, Cree Lundeen, and Raidyn August Wehmeyer; three sisters, and three brothers. He was preceded in death by parents; wife, Ellen of forty-three years; son, Gary; great-grandson, Timmy; and one sister.