Ernest A. Seiffert

Ernest A. Seiffert, age 97, of Litchfield, MN passed away peacefully on Wednesday June 22, 2021 at the Dassel Lakeside Nursing Home, Dassel, MN. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday June 29, 2021 at the Church of the Nazarene in Litchfield, MN. A visitation will be held from 12:00 Noon to 2:00 PM at church. Interment will be held in Lake Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, MN. Military Honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. The funeral will be live-streamed starting at 2:00 PM on Tuesday at the Johnson-Hagglund Funeral and Cremation Service website. Ernie was born at home on a rural Remer, MN farm, July 30, 1923 to 100% German Christian parents, Gottfried and Martha Seiffert. He learned, along with his parents, how to farm up north and how to build cabinets from his dad, who was an accomplished cabinet builder. He was the last of 12 children. He joined the Navy during World War II, serving as a diesel mechanic/engineer. While in Chicago, serving in the Navy, he met Lorraine Meissner from Spooner, WI. She was working at Western Union. They were connected through Ernie’s sister and brother-in-law who pastored her home church, Green Grove CMA, where they were later married on July 5th, 1948. After his time in the service, they moved to Mason City, IA, near Ernie’s sister and brother-in-law. There he worked in a cabinet shop until they moved to the Darwin, MN area. He became a finish carpenter and cabinet builder for Holmquist Lumberyard in Darwin for 25 years. During that time they bought property south of Litchfield and farmed, raising four children, Gordy, Claire, Bryan and Darrell. He left the lumberyard to concentrate on farming until he retired. Ernie was a strong Christian man, always ready to help with church building projects and served on the church board for many years. He was active in the Nazarene Church, even until Lorraine passed away in October 2015. Shortly thereafter, he moved in with his son Darrell and wife Leaurie. In 2020, he moved to Dassel Lakeside Assisted Living. Ernie loved to build things, especially out of wood which included several farm buildings and a brand new house. He loved hunting of all sorts and picking wild blueberries as he had done as a youth. He is survived by his children, Gordy (Dawn) Seiffert of Litchfield, MN, Claire (Steve) Fitch of Mobile, AL, Bryan (Cheryl) Seiffert of Coon Rapids, MN and Darrell (Leaurie) Seiffert of Litchfield, MN; 13 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife Lorraine (of 67 years of marriage), his parents and 11 siblings.