Wayne John Pershke

Wayne J. Pershke, 62 of Grand Forks formerly of Crary, ND died on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Wayne will be held on Monday, March 10, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church, Devils Lake. Rev. Rafe Allison will officiate and burial will be in the Crary Cemetery in the spring. Friends may call at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. with the family present from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Music will be congregational hymns with Brenda Swenseth as pianist. Wayne John was born on July 25, 1945 at Devils Lake, ND the son of Roy and Mary Jane (Cox) Pershke. He was reared and educated in the Crary area, graduating from Crary High School in 1963 and was a baptized and confirmed member of First Lutheran Church, Crary. He entered the United States Navy and served his country during the Vietnam War. He later attended Meat Cutter School in Pipestone, Minnesota. He made meat cutting and processing his career for over 30 years in a number of different places, including working at Monteith Meats for several years. Wayne was united in marriage to Sandra K. Beck in August of 1975 at Maddock, ND. They lived, worked and raised their family in the Warren/Alvarado/Argyle area of Minnesota. They most recently made their home in Grand Forks. Sandra died on February 27, 2008. Wayne’s livelihood may have been as a meat cutter, but his greatest love was farming and driving the combine. At the tender age of 8, he operated the combine on the family farm. As soon as he was old enough he worked for many area farmers helping with all aspects of a farming operation. Wayne was an immediate friend to everyone he met. He could strike up a conversation with anyone and if any kind of bond was formed, you knew you would be on the receiving end of some kind of homemade sausage, beef sticks, etc. as a sign of friendship and to his family and dear friends as a sign of love and caring. Keeping “in touch” with his family was very important to Wayne, so he was famous for a quick phone call just to say “hi, how are you, love you”. Wayne lived a simple life, but would have given any worldly possession he had to help someone in need. That was Wayne, our dear Dad, son, brother and uncle. May you rest in God’s peace and love. We shall miss you always. Wayne is survived by his children, Jason Pershke and Sara Pershke of Grand Forks. Mother: Mary Jane Pershke of Devils Lake Brother: Donald Pershke, Crary Sisters: Carol Gibson and her husband, Robert Laurie Chepulis and her husband, Steve Brenda Howard and her husband, Norman all of Devils Lake Many nieces, nephews, cousins and their families also survive. He was preceded in death by his father, Roy; wife, Sandra; brother, Roger Pershke; sister, Connie Kluck and his grandparents.