Maurice L. Sinn

The funeral service for Maurice L. Sinn, 93, a longtime Stewartville, MN businessman and resident will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday (August 16, 2018) at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stewartville with Rev. Lyle Fritsch officiating.  Burial with military graveside honors by Stewartville VFW Post 8980 and American Legion Post 164 will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville.  Mr. Sinn died on Sunday (August 12, 2018) of natural causes at the Chosen Valley Care Center where he had resided for the past 6 weeks. 

 Maurice L. Sinn was born on July 31, 1925 in St. Paul, MN to Herbert and Ida (Johnson) Sinn.  He graduated from high school in Spring Valley,MN.  He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from January 1945 to December 1946 and was stationed on the USS Hornet in the Pacific theater.   After returning from the war, he met Phyllis Schroeder and they were married on September 10, 1949.  Following their marriage, the couple lived in Stewartville, where they raised their 6 children, and lived for their 65 years of marriage.   Maurice was a lifelong mechanic and with his wife, Phyllis, opened Sinn Pure Oil (later called Sinn Oil Co.), a full-service gas station, on Stewartville’s Main Street in 1949.  Later joined by their son, Tom, they continued operating Sinn Oil Co. until 1995.   They retired from the station and did much traveling in their motorhome going to Washington State, Florida, and Arizona in the winter and to northern Minnesota in the summer fishing.   Maurice was a long-time member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stewartville and was a devout Christian.  He had served as the Sunday School Superintendent and Elder.  He was one of the original members of the Prescher-Kumm VFW Post 8980 of Stewartville and is the last survivor of the original group.  He served many terms as the Commander of the post over the years and was very dedicated to remembrance of local Veterans.  He was very proud to have been recognized with an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.  On December 16, 2014, he was presented the Stewartville Mayor’s Award for Community Service.   He also was a member of the American Legion, local Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, Friendship Club, and Lion’s Club.  Maurice also enjoyed fishing, fixing almost anything, and spending time with his family.  He was a very resilient and determined man, who recently celebrated his 93rd birthday with most of his 57 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren in attendance along with his siblings and other family members.                      

Maurice is survived by his children – Cindy (Richard) Kahn of St. Charles, MN; Tom (Cindy) of Stewartville; Steve (Dorothy) of St. Charles; Nancy (Steve) Fraasch of Maple Grove, MN; Pat (Steve) Wondrasch, and Jim (Annette) both of Rochester; 15 grandchildren – Michael (Ann) Kahn, Alisha Kahn, Adam (Nicole) Sinn, Eric (Emily) Sinn, Kara (Andy) Kuisle, Brent (Lacey) Sinn, Sarah (Lance) Boyum, Jon Fraasch, Karl Fraasch, Kyle (Kristy) Wondrasch, Ben (Jenna) Hamilton, Nikki (Jon) Roeder, William (Adri) Hamilton, Alexa Sinn, and Caleb Sinn; 20 great grandchildren Owen and Samson Kahn; Amelia, Olivia, Walter, Kylie, and Cael Sinn, Garrett and Piper Kuisle, Carter and Elise Sinn, Caden, Zaylee, and Hudson Boyum, Alanah Hamilton, Karsten, Lainey, and Micah Roeder, Link and Milo Hamilton;  a brother Donald (Irene) Sinn of St. Charles and a sister Darlene (Oraine, deceased) Bjugan of Pine Island; and sister/brother-in-law Anita (Gene) Gibson of Las Vegas, NV.   He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Phyllis, his parents, and many brother and sister-in-laws.   

A time of visitation will be held from 5 to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday (August 15, 2018) at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Stewartville and 1 hour prior to the service at the Church on Thursday morning.  The family suggests memorials to St. John’s Lutheran Church Building Fund. 

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