Arvin Litke

Arvin Litke, 91 year old resident of Pierz, MN, passed away at Harmony House in Pierz on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, April 6 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Pierz with Father Aaron Nett and Father Tony Kroll concelebrating.  The burial will be held in the parish cemetery.   Visitation will be held on Friday, April 5 from 4:00-7:00 P.M. and from 9:00-10:30 A.M. on Saturday, April 6. All visitation times will be held at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Pierz. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to Holy Trinity Catholic Schools in Pierz.  Please follow the link to view the livestream: https://private.memoryshare.com/memoryshare/video/arvin-litke-8063141.  

Arvin was born to the late Lawrence and Evelyn (Gau) Litke on March 16, 1933 near Center Valley Minnesota.  He attended St. Joseph’s grade school in Pierz and graduated from Little Falls High School.  On November 25, 1952 he married Virginia Kroll at Holy Trinity church in Royalton.   The couple made their home in Pierz. He was a charter member of Knights of Columbus of Pierz and served on many Knights of Columbus offices including Financial Secretary and Grand Knight.  He and his children delivered the Sunday Minneapolis Tribune in the Lastrup, Harding, and Sullivan Lake area for 34 years.   In 1967,  Arvin and Jean purchased his father’s Gambles hardware store, later renaming it to Litke’s True Value hardware store.  They owned and operated the store for 17 years. In 1988, he began his career as a salesman for the Vernon Company selling advertising specialties.   He sang with the Gesundheit Singers, was a charter member of St. Joseph’s adult choir, a member of the Pierz Planning and Zoning board, served on the church parish council, Lion’s Club treasurer, and Pierz Commercial Club President,  and taught snowmobile driver’s training through the Pierz snowmobile club.  He received Knights of Columbus Grand Knight of the year award.  He enjoyed fishing, spearing, playing black jack, hunting squirrels, and an occasional Old Milwaukee Beer, traveling,  playing baseball and softball, and being the bat boy for Pierz Pirates.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Jean Litke; children, Robert (Mary Jo) Litke, Gwen Litke, Kay (Terry) Reynolds, Thomas Litke, Susan (Chuck) Krippner, Tony (Janet) Litke, Patrick Litke, Carol Broda; 26 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren; siblings, Raymond Litke, Elmer (Jan)Litke, Diane (Willie) Schirmers, Geralyn (Bump) Sawyer and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Evelyn Litke; son Mark, siblings, Roland “Ron” Litke, James “Jake” Litke, Melvin Litke, Larry Litke, ; sister-in-laws, Virginia Litke, Sharon Litke, Jeanette Litke and Ruth Litke.

Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Arvin.