Ralph J. Soeffker, age 83, of Arlington, passed away at his residence on Friday, July 13.
Funeral services will be held at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 21.
Visitation will be held at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, July 20. It will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday, July 21.
Interment will be in the Arlington Public Cemetery.
Ralph was born in Arlington Township to Ralph and Ella (Fenske) Soeffker on Feb. 10, 1935. He was a 1953 graduate of the Arlington High School and went on to serve his country in the U.S. Army for three years while stationed in Japan. On June 29, 1957, he married Ruth Burke at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington. The couple then farmed in Green Isle Township until his retirement from farming in 1995. Ralph also served as secretary-treasurer of the Young America Mutual Fire Insurance Company, a position which he held for 24 years, retiring from it in year 2000. Ralph was a member of the Arlington VFW, its former Drill Team and its current Honor Guard. He served three terms as a member of the Sibley County Planning and Zoning Committee. He was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Arlington serving in many capacities including church council, elder, school board, endowment fund, counting committee, funeral and service usher, meals on wheels, delivered food to food shelf at Martin Luther College, married couples club, and regularly attended Bible study.
Ralph is survived by his wife, Ruth Soeffker of Arlington; daughters, Rochelle (Jim) Ures of Shakopee, Robin (Mitch) Bode of Overland Park, Kansas, and Rebecca (Steve) Ziegler of Arlington; grandchildren, Katelyn Ures, Ben (Erin) Bode, Lauren Bode, and Brad, Audrey, Nathaniel and Kirsten Ziegler; great-grandson, Kassius Leon-Ures; sister, Mavis Lange; and sisters-in-law, Mavis Soeffker and Karen Glieden; and many nieces and nephews.
Ralph is preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Ella Soeffker; brother, Ron Soeff-ker; sisters, LaDonna and her husband Vern Ohland, and Evangeline and her husband Erwin Kramer; and brothers-in-law, Orlin Lange and Orville Bates.
Kolden Funeral Home of Arlington is handling the arrangements.