Vern Beste

Vern Beste, age 70 of Sauk Centre, went home to the Lord on June 8th at St. Cloud Hospital. His heart of gold could no longer overcome all of his medical problems. Our family was with him and the only comfort we have is after 40 years of pain there will be no more pain just peace.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, June 18 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 12 to 2 p.m. Friday at the church in Sauk Centre.

Vern was born December 9, 1950 to Raymond and Marcella (Calkins) Beste in Sauk Centre. He graduated from Sauk Centre High School and Willmar Junior College. On June 16, 1973 he married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Lass at Our Lady of the Angels church in Sauk Centre.

Vern, Barb, and God created three of the greatest blessings of their lives; Jessica, Angela, and Raymond Beste. He was the “love of my life”, the best father our children could have had, and excelled at the role of “Papa Vern” for Curtis, Haley, and Brandon Tollin and Ibrahim and Sophia Tounkara.

He was a perfectionist in his painting business, Vern Beste Painting, where the motto was “Where pride makes the difference.” His son Ray and brother Kenny worked and learned with him.

Vern had a love for hunting, fishing, trapping, and stock car racing. Vern hunted annually for 33 years in “The Holy Land” otherwise known as Canada. He was president of the Sauk Centre Conservation Club for 13 years. He and the club raised 100’s of pheasants to be released in our area, constructed the fish pond in the Conservation Building at the Stearns County Fair Grounds, made the Minnesota shaped club signs by the docks and SC Conservation Club Park below the dam and other fishing docks in area accesses.

Vern is survived by his best friend and wife of 48 years, Barb; their favorite oldest daughter, Jessica (Sekou) Tounkara and children Ibrahim and Sophia of Brooklyn Center, their favorite youngest daughter, Angela Beste and her children Curtis, Haley, and Brandon Tollin of Sauk Centre, and their favorite son, Raymond Beste of Sauk Centre.

Vern is survived by his siblings, Barbara (Willard) Burns of Haley Falls, Kenneth (Terri) Beste of Long Prairie, and Brenda (Warren) Stone of Sauk Centre.

Vern is survived by his in-laws, Bernard (Helen) Las of St. Cloud, Janice (Angel Merling) Neu of Maple Lake, Thomas (Patty) Lass of Cromwell, Arlene (John) Fitzpatrick of Brainerd, Phyliss (Brent) Thompton of Black Duck, and Debra (Dave) Templeton of Cromwell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond and Marcella Beste; brother, Ronald “Tork” Beste; nephew, Adam Bierenger; niece, Stacy Hagemeister; and brother-in-law, Merlin Neu.

Our arms are empty now, but our hearts will always hold you near. We know you are with your dad again after being without him for 38 years.  We will never watch you suffer so terribly anymore. Sleep in peace love.