Martin Pasche

Martin Pasche, 95, of Hoffman, died Sunday, April 29, 2012, at his home. Funeral: 11:00 am Saturday, May 5, 2012, Zion Lutheran Church in Hoffman Clergy: Rev. Donald Wagner Burial: Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Hoffman Visitation: 5-7 pm on Friday at the Erickson-Smith Funeral Home in Hoffman; one hour prior to the service at church Martin August Albert Pasche was born in Hancock, Minnesota, on May 7, 1916, to the Rev. Fredrick E. and Martha (Wiedenheft) Pasche. He was baptized by his father on May 24, 1916. Martin graduated from the Eden Valley High School where he loved playing basketball. Following high school, Martin owned and operated a radio repair shop for a period of time. He then moved to California and worked at the ship building yards at Long Beach where he became deck foreman. He joined the US Navy on December 5, 1942, during World War II. During a Naval leave, Martin married his sweetheart, Fern McRoberts of Herman, Minnesota, on October 3, 1943. A couple of months after their marriage, he was assigned to a Navy supply ship delivering supplies to US forces fighting in the Philippines. They were escorted by Navy battleships and encountered harrowing battles with enemy battleships, submarines and suicide planes. Martin spent his next year aboard ship. During that time, his son Marty was born at Victory Memorial Hospital in Waukegan, Illinois, where Fern was living at the time. Following his honorable discharge on December 6, 1945, Martin and Fern made their way home to a farm west of Hoffman where they raised sheep, hogs, dairy cows and chickens. Martin milked dairy cows until he retired at age 72. Martin was active in the Zion Lutheran Church in Hoffman and served on various boards including the Hoffman Co-op Creamery and the American Dairy Association. He was also active in the Full Gospel Businessmen International. Martin loved fishing with friends and family and hunting with his sons. In retirement, his passions became gardening, experimenting with plants, and wood working. One statement sums up Martin's life: "He loved the Lord." He was preceded in death by his wife Fern and son Marty; his parents; eight brothers and three sisters; one son-in-law, John Borris; and one granddaughter, Jill Pasche. Martin is survived by his children Anne (Ed) Eaton of Blaine, Paul (Vivian) Pasche of Harris, Sandra (Jim) Smith of Creston, British Columbia, Bill (Peggy) Pasche of Hoffman, Julie Borris of Moundsview, Daniel (Jeanette) Pasche of Glenwood, and Cherri (Doug) Bringgold of South St. Paul; twenty grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home - Hoffman 103 7th Street North Hoffman, MN US 56339

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Previous Events

Visitation
Friday, May 4, 2012
Service
Saturday, May 5, 2012
cemetery
Saturday, May 5, 2012