Albert “Al” Rindfleisch, age 91, peacefully passed away Oct. 3, 2024, at Cura Care Center in Sauk Centre.
Al was born Nov. 27, 1932, in Mankato, to Edward and Adelheid (Brandt) Rindfleisch. Al served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War and parked the aircraft of many famous generals of that time, including Charles Lindbergh. Al married his best friend, Joan Beske, Dec. 26, 1953, and they started their life together at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Thereafter, they returned to Minnesota Lake, and Al commenced his lifelong career in farming. Al was always one of the first in his area to implement new farming methods, and he served for several years on the advisory committee of the University of Minnesota’s Agricultural College Southern Experiment Station.
Al always strove to excel in whatever he set out to do: hunting, fishing and trapping in his youth, waterskiing in his earlier years (Al was once featured on KEYC Ch. 12, Mankato, slalom skiing), and golfing in his later years.
Joan and Al spent many years enjoying their summers at their cabin on Bass Lake in southern Minnesota. After Al retired from farming and Joan retired from teaching, they snow-birded for 30 years at their second home in Mesa, Arizona, and spent their summers on Big Sauk Lake near Sauk Centre, making many new friends in both places.
Al is survived by his daughter, Mary Jo (Wayne) Yokiel, and his nieces Carey (Tim) Bell and Molly Stende, and nephew Kurt (Suzanne) Stende.
He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Joan; his infant son, Kurt Albert; his parents-in-laws, Art and Loretta Beske; sister-in-law, Janet, and her husband, Greg Stende; and many of Mary Jo and Wayne’s grand-kitties.
A small family service is being planned, with interment in Minnesota Lake Catholic Cemetery on a future date.
