William R. 'Bill, Billy, Coach, Pa' Lehrke

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Lehrke, William R. (Bill, Billy, Coach, Pa) 87 years, passed away peacefully at his home in Minneapolis on May 4, 2024. He was born on February 11, 1937, on a farm in Roberts Coun ty, SD. Bill was raised on a farm 12 miles northeast of Browns Valley, MN on the hills overlooking Lake Traverse on the South Dakota side. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 58 years, Rae-Marie, and his parents, Ed and Alice Lehrke, brothers Marlyn Lehrke, Wayne Lehrke, Richard Lehrke, and sisters-in-law Ilse Lehrke and Kaye Lehrke. Bill is survived and will be deeply missed by his daughters, Tamra (Scott) Adams, Melanie Bailey, Stacia (AJ) Johnson, Alecia (Robert) Zerr, son Shane (Jill) Lehrke; grandchildren, Lindsey (Matt) Sanders, Brittany (Birdie Golden) Bailey, Laine Adams, Bill (Monica) Zerr, Jesse Zerr, Annie Johnson, and Zach Johnson; six treasured great-grandchildren, Kaile, Hazel, Miles, Ella, Mason, and Sylvia, who all lit up his life. Also survived by brothers, Ken Lehrke and Dean (Dianne) Lehrke; sisters-in-law, Vonnie Lehrke and Janice Pond; many, many nieces, nephews and treasured friends. A visitation will be held at BRADSHAW, 3131 Minnehaha Ave S., Minneapolis, MN on Thursday, May 9, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Funeral service at Minnehaha Communion Lutheran Church, 4101 37th Ave S., Minneapolis on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 11:00 am with visitation at 10:00 am. A service will also be held at GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH in Sisseton, SD. Visitation will be at 10:00 am, with service following at 11:00 am on May 13, 2024. Inurnment at Peever Cemetery, Peever, SD, at a later date. A special thank you to daughter, Melanie Bailey, who literally put her life on hold to help Dad in his last years. We are forever grateful for her loving commitment to Dad. It is what kept him going. Bradshaw 612-724-3621 bradshawfuneral.com

Published on May 8, 2024