The funeral service for Roger E. Yanke will be held 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at First Lutheran Church, Ellendale. The Rev. Arne Halbakken will officiate. Burial will be in First Lutheran Cemetery, Ellendale. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Ellendale, and one hour before the service at the church. Military honors will be accorded by the Ellendale Veterans’ Organization.

Roger died on Tuesday, June 22, 2004, after a short illness, at Cox Health System in Springfield, Mo. He was 63 years old.

Roger was born in Steele County on Sept. 23, 1940, the son of Ernest F. and Alice (Ribbe) Yanke. He proudly served with the U.S. Army from October 1958, to January 1962. While stationed in Berlin, Germany, he met Marlies Friebel and they were married December 1961.

Roger farmed near Blooming Prairie with his brother, Jim, before attending college. He then worked as an accountant with King Company in Owatonna and later transferring to South Carolina. Following retirement he moved to Missouri.

Roger is survived by his wife, Marlies of Springfield, Mo.; two sons: Russel of Seattle, Wash., and Carlton of Owatonna; daughter, Faye (Dan) Wich of Owatonna; two grandsons: Ben and Ian Wich of Owatonna; mother, Alice Yanke of Blooming Prairie; brother, Jim (Barb) Yanke of Dodge Center; four sisters: Janice (Virgil) Gerloch of Conroe, Texas, Ilene (Tom) Powell of Pleasant Hill, Ore., Eunice Yanke of Pueblo West, Colo., and Daine (Jack) Moser of Osceola, Wis.; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ernest F. Yanke.