Wendell E. Mensink

Wendell E. Mensink, 91, of Greenleafton, Minn., died on Sunday, December 1, 2019 at The Evergreens in Spring Valley, Minn.

Wendell Earl Mensink was born August 3, 1928, in York Township, Fillmore County, Minn., to Earl and Eva (TerMaat) Mensink and grew up in the rural Greenleafton area. He attended Flying Cloud Country School and graduated from Preston High School in 1946. On June 22, 1948, he married the love of his life, Cleo Miedema, at the Greenleafton “Town Hall,” where they were holding services since the church had burned down. To this union five children were born. They lived and farmed on 80 acres north of Greenleafton and he worked part time for several different neighbors. He also operated a portable feed mill for a few years, until he became employed in 1960 with the ASCS Office in Preston, where he worked for 17 years. He then went into management training and managed offices in Litchfield and Austin until retiring in 1990, after which they moved back home to live on an acreage on their home farm. He enjoyed working for his farm boys and doing volunteer driving for Semcac. Wendell enjoyed traveling, trapping gophers, fishing, and watching ballgames. He was a lifelong member of the Greenleafton Reformed Church. He served on various boards and taught Sunday School and Bible School.  

Wendell is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Cleo Mensink; children Brenda (Dean Tollefson) Mensink, Dave (Tracie) Mensink, and Will (Patty) Mensink, daughters-in-law Cindy (Ron Thiele) Mensink, and Pam Mensink; grandchildren Corey (Shari) Mensink, Chris (Kari) Mensink, Michael (Rachel) Mensink, Mandy (Nate) Olson, Megan (Chad) Persons, Alex (Katie) Mensink, Morgan (Tom) Freeman; 14 great-grandchildren; Peyton, Zachary, Jake, Macy, Brock, Lauren, Annika, Elizabeth, Evelyn, Owen, Asher, Elliana, Jackson, and Penelope; brothers Elwyn (Eileen) Mensink, Loyal (Alayna) Mensink, and Lyall (Charlene) Mensink; sister Evelyn Roelofs, sisters-in-law Caroline Mensink, Janis Miller, and Linda Rain; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sons Richard and Craig Mensink, brother Royce Mensink, brothers-in-law Lowell Roelofs and Richard Miller, and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lucille and Julian “Bud” Sikkink.

Funeral services for Wendell will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 6, 2019 at Greenleafton Reformed Church in Greenleafton, Minn., with Pastor Roger Lokker officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, December 5 at Hindt Funeral Home in Spring Valley, Minn., and will continue for one hour at the church prior to the service on Friday.