The Funeral Service for Warren J. Sawyer of Ellendale, will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the First Lutheran Church in Ellendale. The Rev. Arne Halbakken will officiate. Interment will be in First Lutheran Cemetery, Ellendale. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Ellendale, and one hour before the service at the church.

Warren passed away peacefully on Friday evening, April 4, 2008, at his home at 83 years of age. He was born in Berlin Township in Steele County on Oct. 31, 1924, to Elwin and Sylvia (Steele) Sawyer. He graduated from Ellendale High School in May of 1943, and soon after was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve in WWII. Warren was stationed in Fort Knox, Kent. where he took flying lessons and later went to Korea to serve but while there was called home for a family emergency.

Warren was discharged from the Army and joined his three older brothers Eugene, Floyd and Chester in the farming occupation, each having their own acreage to develop.

On Aug. 6, 1950, he was united in marriage to Helen Berg. They were members of First Lutheran; Warren serving in numerous offices and ways through the years such as ushering, church council positions, Luther League Councilor, and a member of the Couples Club.

Warren is survived by his wife of 57 years, Helen, and Mark, his son of Ellendale. He has two grandchildren: Nicole (Dallas) Loken of New Richland and Eric (Brooke) Anderson of Albert Lea. He has three great-grandchildren Dylan, Addison and Alexis Loken of New Richland; son-in-law Donald Anderson of Ellendale; brother and sister-in-law Floyd and DeLoyce Sawyer of Albert Lea; and numerous nieces, nephews and their families.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, his daughter Julie Anderson in 1997 and brothers Chester and Eugene Sawyer.