Richard Herkenratt

Richard M. Herkenratt of Faribault, 84, died January 14, 2010 at Three Links Care Center in Northfield.   Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, January 22nd at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault. A Masonic service will be conducted by the Knights Templar on Friday at 7:00 p.m.    Memorial services will be held at The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 23rd. Interment will be in Groveland Cemetery in Dundas at a later date.   Richard Milton Herkenratt was born in the family home in Chetek, WI on November 17, 1925 to Milton H. and Ila Drake Herkenratt. He spent his early youth in Chetek, later moving to Mound, MN and on April 1, 1936 to Shady Lane Farm, the original Drake homestead in Bridgewater Twp., where he remained until moving to Faribault in 1961. After receiving his education and being rejected by both the Air Force and the Army for being the sole support of his parents and grandmother, Richard engaged in farming the family farm and working with his parents in the very successful hayride and catering service they provided Carleton and St. Olaf students both during WWII and until two years after his mother's death in 1952. At this point, he discontinued the dairy and farming operation and engaged in long-distance trucking, an occupation he followed until his retirement, with the exception of the time he spent as a deputy with the Rice Co. Sheriff's Department and when he owned and operated Aaction Sandblasting and Painting.   Richard was descended from several of the influential early Rice County pioneer families: Joseph and Ruth Bon Drake and their son Edwin Sumner and his wife Martha Clark Drake; the Hon. Simon Bateman and Margaret Saunders Taylor; Peter Michael and Sybilla Catarina Niebels; Jacob and Maria Catarina Niebels Herkenratt; Wm. Lester and Ann Elizabeth Robinson Herreman; and Andrew and Mary Waite Robinson.   Richard was a member of The Church of the Holy Cross, having been Vice President and President of the Young People's Fellowship, Junior and Senior Warden on the Vestry and a member of the choir; life member of Social Lodge #48 AF & AM, Northfield Council #12 R & SM, Corinthian Chapter #33 RAM, and Faribault Commandry #8 Knights Templar Masonic groups; a member of Sheba Chapter #73 and Athens Chapter #82 OES; the Northfield and Faribault Eagles; Faribault Moose; Teamsters Local #160; Sons of the American Legion: The MN State Sheriffs Association; the MN Historical Society; the MN Genealogical Society; the Rice Co. Historical Society; and Life member of the MN Territorial Pioneers. He also served in the Minnesota State Guards during WWII.   Richard married Dorothy Ann Chester at The Church of the Holy Cross in Dundas, MN on June 17, 1951. He is survived by his wife; their two daughters, Susan Herkenratt and fiancée Leonard Kaderlik and Sally and husband Martin E. Budde; and their son, Brian Richard Herkenratt. He is also survived by former daughter-in-law Cozette Helgeson Herkenratt Peterson and husband Mark: granddaughters Martha Budde Rosett LaVoi (Jason) and Brenda Budde (Andy Strom), Angela Herkenratt Finnegan, Jennifer Herkenratt (Damian Hagel) and Vicki Herkenratt Ruscin (Nicholas); great-grandchildren twins Joseph and Brandon Rosett and Caydon Budde; Michael Malecha III and Andrew W. Strom; Isaac and Hanna Finnegan; Devon Hagel: and Elliot Marlee Ruscin; step-granddaughter Barbara Budde Blankenship (Brian); step-great-granddaughters Alexys Blankenship, Hope LaVoi, Madison and Allyson Strom, and Maya and Lucy Ruscin; brother-and sisters-in-law Geraldine Baddgor Herkenratt (Mrs. Harry), Carol Beckman Herkenratt (Mrs. Robert), and John Wm. and June Fredrickson Chester; as well as several nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and -nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Harry Sumner Herkenratt and 1st wife Helen McCloskey and Robert Joseph Herkenratt, sister Margaret Herkenratt Wood and husband E. Carlyle Wood, and brothers-in-law Milton Arthur Wilson and Col. Romaine S. Foss (U.S. Army Ret.), and sister-in-law Marie Ethel Chester Wilson Foss.   The family requests no flowers. Memorials may be made to Sheriffs Youth Programs of MN, 2925 Buckley Way, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076-2018; Masonic Cancer Center Fund, Inc., Partners for Life, 11501 Masonic Home Drive, Bloomington, MN 55437; or to the donor's choice.