Kenneth Strauss, 82

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Bellechester, Minn., with the Reverend Bruce Peterson officiating, for Kenneth "Bud" Strauss of Bellechester who passed away on Monday, Oct. 1, in Red Wing, Minn., due to complications of pneumonia. Burial will take place in St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be at St. Mary's Catholic Church from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct, 3, and 1 hour prior to the funeral Mass on Thursday. A Knights of Columbus Rosary will be held at the church at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening.

Kenneth "Bud" Strauss was born in Red Wing on April 5, 1930. He grew up on his family's farm east of Bellechester. He went to St. Mary's Catholic School in Bellechester and attended Goodhue High School. He went to work at an early age at the Bellechester Garage. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Following his military service, he went to bricklayers school in St. Cloud and also took blueprint training at the Vo-Tech in St. Cloud. He joined the Bricklayers Union Red Wing Local #17 and worked in the Red Wing and Rochester areas, working for Weis Builders Inc. of Rochester the longest. He then partnered in Strauss and Heppelmann Masonry until his health forced him into retirement. He married Mary Rose Benda in Goodhue at St. Columbkill Catholic Church on Aug. 29, 1959.

He loved the outdoors, fishing, hunting, and especially his dogs, Hobbes, Calvin, and Abby. In his younger years, he played baseball on the Bellechester town team and raced stock cars. He was a member of the American Legion Bellechester Post #598; St. Mary's Catholic Church, Bellechester; Knights of Columbus; and Bricklayers Union Red Wing Local #17. His wife, Mary, died April 18, 1989.

Bud is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Lommen (Peter) of St. Charles, Minn., Marie Stangl (Roger) of Prior Lake, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Jacqueline Hutchinson of Apple Valley, Minn.; his sons, Greg Strauss (Colleen) of Chaska, Minn., and Tim Strauss (Shelly) of Maplewood, Minn.; his son-in-law, Dennis Klindworth of Mazeppa, Minn.; grandchildren, Ben and Matt Lommen, Katie, Joe and Zach Stangl, James and Jordan Strauss, Jacob, Alex (Amber), Rosemary, and Brandon Klindworth, and Jenna Strauss; his sisters Clarice Ferecchia of Marlboro, Mass., and Kathleen Karlen of Pine Island, Minn.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; a son, John; a daughter, Lisa Klindworth; a sister, Mary Sacco; and his parents, John and Esther (Majerus) Strauss.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, Minn., 507-289-3600, www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.

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