2/27/1929 – Monday, February 11, 2008
Service Information
Our Father’s Lutheran Church,
Saturday 2/16/2008
2:00 p.m.
Visitation Information
Edward Willis Varner, age 78 of Fifty Lakes and formerly of Buffalo, passed away peacefully Feb. 11, 2008 at Sunrise Cottages in Buffalo.
Ed was born in Buffalo on February 27, 1929 to Lafayette Carl Lafe and Harriet Belle Hattie (nee Cronk) Varner. A graduate of Mound High School, Ed entered the US Army on January 11, 1951. He taught auto mechanic repair to new recruits until his honorable discharge on January 10, 1953. When Ed returned to Minnesota, he worked at Downtown Chevrolet in Minneapolis, then attended Dunwoody Institute, studying sheet metal working and heating. He owned and operated Ed™s Heating and Cooling in Long Lake from 1962-1966 before opening Master Heating & Cooling in St. Louis Park in 1969. In 1977, despite the business™ success, Ed decided to build a cabin on Butterfield Lake in Fifty Lakes (near Brainerd) and relocate there. Knowledgeable in a multitude of fields, Ed was kept busy doing construction and developing properties. Admired by those who knew him, Ed brightened up the lives of his many friends with his fun-loving nature. Known by children as the Tickle Monster, Ed enjoyed making people laugh and smile especially his daily breakfast group at Howard™s Barn in Fifty Lakes. He will be forever missed by his family and friends. Ed spent the past two years surrounded by loving, caring staff at Sunrise Cottages of Buffalo.
Edward Varner will be missed by son, Bruce (Nancy) of Loretto; daughter, Sandy (Jay) Krueger of Santa Barbara, CA; four grandchildren: Anna (Tom) Vogel, Sarah (Derek) Barto, Erik Krueger and Chris Krueger. He is also survived by brother, Curtis (Shirley) Varner of Watkins; and sisters: Marian Latour of Buffalo, and Esther Hensen of Menominee, WI. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lafe and Hattie and brother, Warren.
The Funeral Service for Ed was held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 16 at Our Father™s Lutheran Church in Rockford with one hour of visitation prior to the service Pastor Donna Rohrer officiated. Casket Bearers were: Derek Barto, Chris Krueger, Jay Krueger, Don Latour, Ted J. Latour, Tom Vogel and Honorary Bearers were: Erik Krueger and Curtis Varner. The burial will be private at Lakeview Cemetery in Buffalo.
Ed will be missed so very much, but his hearty laugh will live on at the cottages. I enjoyed getting to know him the last 2 years and his family. you will all be in my heart and mind for ever. God Bless you all
To Eds family you have our sincere sympathy. I enjoyed ed when I was a care giver at the cottages he always smiled and was friendly. May you find peace in knowing he is at peace with God. Dan and Mary Jo Pribyl
Ed was our neighbor at the end of the road for years. He helped us clear and build much of our family lake home. I’ll always remember Ed’s hearty laugh when I’m at Butterfield Lake. You have our sincere condolences. John Drexler
We enjoyed Ed’s incredible insights and interesting life stories. He was smart and fun-loving.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family –
Sheila Chovan & Dennis Witzel