Walter Pfaffinger, 97

Blue Earth — Walter Pfaffinger, age 97, of Blue Earth, died Sept. 28, 2009, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Care Center, Blue Earth. Funeral services were held Oct. 2, 2009, at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth. Rev. Mark McNae officiated. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery, Blue Earth.

Walt was born Sept. 10, 1912, in Genoa, Ill., the son of Joseph and Catherine (Birkeneder) Pfaffinger.

He was raised and educated in Blue Earth where he attended school. Following school he helped farm and worked for his brother John before joining the Navy Seabees in May of 1942. With the 6th Seabees Battalion he served on Guadalcanal until 1943 for which he was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation Award. All together he served in the Southwest Pacific for 26 months before returning to the U.S. In May of 1945 he left Okinawa, Japan before his honorable discharge in late November of 1945. After his return to Blue Earth Walt farmed with his brother Richard until his retirement in 1988. Walt was a life member of the Blue Earth American Legion Post 89 and VFW Post 4580. He was very active in many aspects of the clubs most notably his dedication to the membership drive. For over 50 years he attended countless funerals and parades as a member of the American Legion Honor Guard. He was also a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. Walt was an avid sports fan following baseball and football, but his passion was for Blue Earth Area sports, especially Buc wrestling. Until he was unable, Walt would attend every match wherever it was. He even attended a BEA wrestling tournament in 2009 at the age of 96.

Walt is survived by his sisters-in-law, Vivian Pfaf-finger of Mankato and Agnes Pfaffinger of Blue Earth and many nieces, nephews and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, twin brother – Frank, and brothers, John, Otto, Richard and Edward and his wife Kathy, and his sister, Helen Pfaffinger.

Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com