Steven Alan Jaenisch

Steven Alan Jaenisch, 74, a resident of Fergus Falls, passed away on Monday, November 3, 2014, surrounded by his family.

Steve was born on October 18, 1940, the eldest of three children to Harold and Dorothy (Roth) Jaenisch. He graduated from the Fergus Falls high school in 1958 and went on to obtain an associate degree from the Fergus Falls Community College. In 1962 he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard and later transferred into the United States Army Reserve, where he retired as a Major in 1989. He married Gretchen Mary Loerzel on November 7, 1964. They had two children, Lisa Marie and Jeffrey Alan Jaenisch.

Hard work, dedication and persistence allowed him to continue Jaenisch Industries, a business started by his father in 1946. Along the years his abilities grew and his knowledge expanded to the point where it was well known that if Steve couldn’t fix it, it was not fixable. Steve was well known for his artistic talent. His ability to create a work of art using spark plugs, bearings and scrap pieces of steel were unmatched. He has created many masterpieces that stand throughout our city and others. Some of these works include the “Super Goose” outside the Otter Tail County Museum, the fireman sculpture outside the Fergus Falls firehall and the Madison School Memorial to name a few local ones. He was an avid history buff and could very well recount almost any aspect of military movements throughout any conflict ever noted. Not many dared to challenge his knowledge in this area and those who did usually didn’t twice. He loved to entertain, whether it was by playing his banjo or giving guided tours across the lake in his home-built paddlewheel boat.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Dorothy; along with his step-mother Gertrude (Jasmer) Jaenisch; siblings, Teresa and David; and mother and father-in-law, Benedict and Violet Loerzel.

He is survived by his wife, Gretchen; daughter, Lisa (Darin Nehk) Oehler; son, Jeff (Heidi) Jaenisch; grandchildren, Michael Jr., Rebecca and Matthew Oehler, Zachary Hammer and Megan and Adam Dellaneva; brother, Gary (Pam) Jaenisch; sister, Jean Reed and step-siblings, Bonnie (Bill) Barber, Kathy Bies and Gary Jasmer.

Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Thursday, November 6, 2014 at Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls
Memorial Service: 10:30 a.m. Friday, November 7, 2014 at First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls
Clergy: Reverend Saul Stensvaag
Military Participation: Fergus Falls American Legion Post 30 and VFW Post 612
Interment: St. Otto’s Catholic Cemetery, Fergus Falls
Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls