David J. Geerdes

11/26/2011 - The funeral service for David J. Geerdes, 55, of rural Racine,Mn. will be at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday (9-29-11) at Zion Lutheran Church in Stewartville,Mn. with Rev. Byron Meline and Rev. Emily Carson co-officiating. A private family burial at Woodlawn Cemetery will take place at a later date. Mr. Geerdes died Sunday (9-25-11) unexpectedly of natural causes at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. 

David John Schafer was born March 22, 1956 in Rochester,Mn. to Orrin and Lorraine(Mathews) Schafer. He grew up in Stewartville, attended school and graduated from Stewartville H.S. in 1974. He was employed at the elevator in Grand Meadow ,an implement in Chatfield and at Rochester Diesel. He helped Herb Hanson on his farm in rural Grand Meadow, before he began farming on his own in rural Racine. Dave was married on March 11, 1989 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Rochester to Patricia A. Anderson. They have farmed in rural Racine, where they raised their daughters and have continued to make their home. Dave also was employed as a seed distributor for Asgrow Seed for a number of years and operated Geerdes Trucking. He was on the advisory board at MinnEergy Ethanol Plant in rural Mower County and received an award from the Mower County Soil Conservation Authority. Patty is a farmwife and homemaker and has been employed at the Transplant Center at Mayo Clinic in Rochester for many years. Dave was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Stewartville serving on numerous commitees including the Building Committee and as President of the Church council. He was a longtime supervisor on the Racine Twsp. Board, currently as it's chairman and volunteered and contributed to the new Stewartville Swimming Pool and was advising on the proposed Stewartville Firehall rennovation. He played multiple sports in high school and enjoyed coaching his daughter's youth softball and basketball teams. He built his own model train set as a young boy and following high school , Dave raced cars, often winning , and also raced snowmobiles. He was a co-sponsor of stock cars and helped others establish the Slingshot Race circuit at Deer Creek Raceway in Racine. He enjoyed collecting vintage cars and was one of the founding members of the Stewie Cruisers car club. He also collected Oliver tractors, and Nascar models and enjoyed following and going to Nascar Racing. Dave also enjoyed playing golf, softball and bowling league, traveling and time spent with friends and family, especially his grand-daughter Payten. 

Surviors include his wife - Patty/ two daughters - Nicole and grand-daughter - Payten of Stewartville and Brittany of Racine/ his mother and step-father - Lorraine and Harry Geerdes of Stewartville/ four sisters- Linda(Steve) Kath of Auburn,Wa./ Stacy(Tim) Williamson of Rushford,Mn./ Shelly Schafer of Chatfield, Mn., and Sheila(Andy) Burt of Eyota,Mn./ two brothers - Chris Schafer of Dover,Mn. and Brian(Vicki) Schafer of Chatfield. He was preceded in death by his father - Orrin. 

Friends may call from 5 to 8:00 P.M. on Wednesday (9-28) at Zion Lutheran Church in Stewartville and 1 hr. prior to the service at the church on Thursday morning. 

Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville.

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