Manville Toenges, 1920-2016

Published 9:41 am Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Manville Toenges, 96, of Alden passed away Monday,  Nov. 28, 2016, at St. John’s Lutheran Community.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Concordia Lutheran Church of Pickerel Lake in rural Albert Lea. The Rev. Wendy Anderson will officiate. Interment will be in Concordia Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea and beginning one hour prior to the service at the church.

Manville Arthur Toenges was born May 18, 1920, the youngest of three, to John and Martha (Stern) Toenges at the family home in Manchester Township. Manville continued to live on the Toenges family farm for the majority of his life. He was a lifelong member of Concordia Lutheran Church of Pickerel Lake, where he was baptized, confirmed and married.

Manville Toenges

Manville attended Buckeye School through the eighth grade. He farmed the family farm beginning as a young boy when his father, John, became ill and died when Manville was 12. Manville was proud of his Holstein dairy herd, farrow to finish swine operation and his beef cows. He particularly enjoyed the fact that he started farming with horses and was able to harvest in a GPS-controlled combine.

On June 22, 1944, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, Lauretta Marie Bauers. To this union three children were born. Manville and Lauretta were a team working together on the farm. Manville was always available to lend a hand to family, neighbors and friends. He was a 4-H leader in the dairy and swine projects for the Alden 4-H Club. He also helped for many years with the Spring Barrow Show. The Freeborn County Fair held a special place for both Manville and Lauretta, as that is where he first asked her out on a date. Manville truly enjoyed driving the golf cart, providing courtesy rides at the fair — a service that was nicknamed “Grandpa T’s Ride Service.” They both also enjoyed going to the Minnesota State Fair, the traditional family vacation and especially when the children and grandchildren showed livestock.

Manville is survived by son, Gordon, and wife, Kathleen, of Alden; daughters Myrna and husband, James Scharpe,  of Arlington and Laurie Magnus of Harmony; grandchildren Kari (Paul) Wendt of Eyota, Katie (Luke) Nielsen of Albert Lea, Kristine (Shane) Christensen of Alden, Matthew (Gwen) Scharpe of Arlington, Dan (Melissa) Scharpe of Arlington, Jennifer Scharpe of Westminster, Colorado, Rebecca (Chris) Wenthold of Minneapolis, Katelyn Scharpe of Arlington, Peter Scharpe of Albert Lea,Vanessa (Michael) Aggen of Harmony and Aaron Magnus of Byron; 20 great-grandchildren; and nieces and cousins.

He is proceeded in death by Lauretta in 2013; his parents; brother and sister-in-law John and Inita Toenges; sister and brother-in-law Hilda and Cecil Tapp; and parents-in-law Hulda and Herman Bauers.

A special thank you to the staff at Thorne Crest Senior Living Community and St. John’s Lutheran Community for their excellent care.

Memorials are preferred to Peace& Power, First Lutheran Church or to Concordia Lutheran Church of Pickerel Lake.

Blessed be his memory.