Martin "Pete" Otto Oldenburg

Martin “Pete” Otto Oldenburg, 93, of Litchfield, passed away surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, January 21, 2023, at Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, June 2, 2023, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Litchfield with Reverend Thomas Evenson officiating. Time for visitation will take place one hour prior to services. Interment will follow at Ripley Cemetery with military honors provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard.

Pete was born on March 10, 1929, in Meeker County to Albert and Marie (Joecks) Oldenburg.  He was one of ten children. As a child he was called “Pete” by his Uncle Erick Joecks, and the nickname stuck for a lifetime. 

As a young man, Pete worked many jobs including helping on the family farm. At 17-years-old, he joined the United States Army National Guard and then two years later in 1951 during the Korean Conflict, he enlisted in the United States Army. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska first and then in England. In both assignments he helped build runways as a heavy equipment operator. In England, while celebrating his 22nd birthday, he met Edna who was also celebrating her birthday. Together, for over 70 years, they shared not just the same birthday, but a lifetime of memories, three children, and many grandchildren.

In 1954, the couple moved to the United States with their two children, Steven and Shirley.  Pete began working at First District in Litchfield as a truck driver and held several positions many years. After retiring he worked parttime for CENEX and Towmasters until he was 88 years old.

Pete was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and served as commander 1971-1972. He served as military honor guard for many years and retired at 90-years-old. He was a charter member of Litchfield Civil Defense Rescue Squad and served with the Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department 1956 to 1979. He completed his GED in 1971, the same year his son, Steve, graduated high school.

Pete was very active.  He enjoyed riding snow mobiles, spear fishing, ice fishing, and hunting deer, moose, and elk with family and friends.  He was a quiet man, known as the “listener” in the group.  He had a sense of humor and would get a twinkle to his eye when he was about to say something witty.  He enjoyed watching old Westerns like “Bonanza”, “Gunsmoke”, and newer ones like “Walker: Texas Ranger”.  Pete was family oriented and a good husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.  He always looked forward to spending time with his family and took them on a vacation every summer.

Left to cherish Pete’s life are his wife, Edna; his children: Steven (Mary) Oldenburg of Minnesota, Shirley (Hal) Olimb of Florida, and Patti (Joe) Westphall of Minnesota; his grandchildren: Jeremy (Stephanie) Westphall of Minnesota, Nathan (Lindsay) Westphall of Minnesota, Ryan (Sheila) Oldenburg of North Carolina, Dalton Oldenburg of Wisconsin, Sarah (Matt) Bledsoe of Alabama, Andrew (Cassandra) Olimb of Florida, and Zachary (Sarah) Olimb of Italy; 17 great- grandchildren; his sisters, Alice Harding of Minnesota and Irene Burress of Colorado; and his sister-in-law Shirley Oldenburg.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents Albert and Marie Oldenburg; his siblings Ervin Oldenburg, Regina Masteller, Marie Lee, Ernie Oldenburg, Carl Oldenburg, Paul Oldenburg, Erna Banister, and infant brother Otto; and grandson Erick Olimb.

Honorary pallbearers include his grandchildren Jeremy Westphall, Nathan Westphall, Ryan Oldenburg, Dalton Oldenburg, Sarah Bledsoe, Andrew Olimb, and Zachary Olimb.

He was a member of First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Litchfield.

The family expresses gratitude to all of the doctors, nurses, and care givers at Lakeside Generations Assisted Living Center in Dassel, Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson, and Meeker County Hospital in Litchfield.