Sylvester B. Uphus

1927 - 2017

Sylvester B. Uphus obituary, 1927-2017, Sauk Centre, MN

Sylvester B. Uphus

1927 - 2017

BORN

1927

DIED

2017

Sylvester Uphus Obituary

Visit the Patton-Schad Funeral Home - Sauk Centre website to view the full obituary.
Sylvester Bernard Uphus died peacefully in his sleep Sunday morning, January 1, 2017. He celebrated his 89th birthday three days before that on December 29th in characteristic style with a speech delivered by himself and a dinner for 30 attendees to follow. Hospitality was always a high value for him. Sylvester was born to Herman and Helen Uphus on December 29, 1927 in Grove Township, Stearns County. He was a WWII veteran, having enlisted at age 18 in the United States Navy. He served two years on USS Bremerton and was honorably discharged December 22, 1947. He was proud of his military service and made many military friends during and after his service. After military service, Sylvester completed the ag school program at St. Johns in Collegeville. He was a lifelong active member of Knights of Columbus, VFW and American Legion. Sylvester married Rose Goerdt on October 16, 1951 at St. Paul's Parish in Sauk Centre. He and Rose became the proud parents of twelve children, eight girls and four boys. For about forty years Sylvester farmed north of Padua. He was always forward looking and hard-working, and farming was a rewarding success for him. In 1982, Sylvester was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. He was re-elected in each of his subsequent campaigns, serving for a total of ten years. He was popular among both constituents and legislators, often working across the political aisle to complete the work of government in a no-nonsense, common sense way. After his legislative years, for nearly 10 years, Sylvester worked with Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (VOCA) as an agricultural consultant. This work began with an assignment in Latvia, one of the Baltic countries, then only very recently liberated from more than a half century of USSR communist domination. He completed other VOCA assignments in former soviet satellites, Armenia and Georgia. Sylvester also organized medicine and clothing drives for the Latvian people. He made many long term friends in his work with VOCA, both personally and professionally. He was a traveler, most often with an assignment or a purpose. In prior and ensuing years, Sylvester's travels took him to Russia, China, Africa, South America, Central America and other locations. Sylvester's family was the pride of his life. He was most happy to be asked for, and to provide, help or assistance whenever possible. He was generous with his time and talents. Sylvester left surviving his loving wife of 65 years, Rose, all twelve of his children, Deborah (Kevin) Boynton, David, Thomas (Donna), Sharon (Ken) Benson, Karen (Michael) Stack, Mark (Barbara), Mary Saxton, Peggy (Mark) Raitor, Cynthia (Arthur) Pearson, Joseph (Kate), Kathryn and Andrea, many grandchildren and great grandchildren, and by his brother, Norbert and sisters, MaryAnn Olmschenk, Marlene Klingel and Katie Nelson. Sylvester was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Helen, his brothers, Laverne and Herbert, and his sister, Rosalyn Comeau. Memorials are preferred to Holy Family School, VFW and CentraCare Hospice in Sauk Centre. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 5 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at and from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening at the church.

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Sign Sylvester Uphus's Guest Book

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January 6, 2017

Jack and JoAnn Meyer posted to the memorial.

January 5, 2017

Rick & Laurie Jennissen posted to the memorial.

January 4, 2017

Steve Sviggum posted to the memorial.

Julie Stepan

January 2, 2017

The heavenly angels rejoice while the earthly angels mourn.... all my love to you, Rose and your entire family .....Sylvester had a special place in my heart. My
sympathies

Peggy & Sylvester Ruegemer

January 2, 2017

To the Uphus Family, So sorry for your loss. Sylvester was a kind, & good man, always fair to people, & always helped out where needed. May he rest in peace.

Jack and JoAnn Meyer

January 6, 2017

Sylvester was a good man in so many ways. Conversations with him were always so enlightening. His warm, friendly personality was so impressive. May he rest in peace and may God comfort you all in your memories.

Rick & Laurie Jennissen

January 5, 2017

Rose and Family,
Growing up in the Padua area, we saw Sylvester as an excellent example for the church and farm community. He will be greatly missed! Our prayers are with you.

Steve Sviggum

January 4, 2017

Dear Rose and family,

I just heard of Sy's passing, I am so sorry. Sylvester was a "rock"..."the salt of the earth", the good Lord did not make them any better than Sy. Reresentative Uphus was a friend to all and treated everyone with kindness and respect. May God's love and healing blessings be with your whole family. Sylvester has now won his race and is up in Heaven rooting for you. My best to all of you. Thanks for sharing your father and husband to serve the State of Minnesota for many years. With love, Steve Sviggum
former Minnesota Speaker of the House

Sue (Osendorf) Bayer

January 4, 2017

What a pleasure it was to meet Sylveser this past summer. I was with 2 of my brothers (Jim and Dan Osendorf) and my sister (Jan Menk) and we spent a couple of hours with him learning about our ancestry as well as having lunch with him at the Greenwald Pub. He even invited us to golf at his course next summer on the house! He was a kind and generous man with so much to give, which he freely did from his heart. I wish I had the chance to get to know him better. Godspeed, Sylvester.

Peggy & Sylvester Ruegemer

January 4, 2017

To the Uphus Family, my sympathies to you all, on the death of Sylvester. He was a very kind man, & cared for people, in his office, that he held, for many years. May Sylvester rest in peace.

deanne orr

January 4, 2017

Dear Rose and family
Two years ago I had the pleasure of finally meeting Sylvester and you. I had flown in from Toronto to visit my brother Arthur Pearson and Cynthia (Uphus) at their lake house in Glenwood. When I shook Sylvester's hand and received a warm hug from you, then all of the stories became realities. There are very few men like Sylvester, one who exuded an enormous enthusiasm for life, was determined to succeed not only at one thing but everything, and who never stopped living by his Christian values. Rose, you can take solace in knowing that you and Sylvester raised your wonderful, large family, instilling in them your strict work ethic and your sense of humanity. And always abiding by the principles of your deep faith. What a legacy.
Rose, please accept my condolences. My thoughts are with you and the family and I send my warmest regards,
Deanne Orr, Toronto

Tim & Jody Schirmers

January 2, 2017

Our deepest sympathy to all of you in the loss of your husband, dad, father-in-law & grandpa. May he rest in peace with our Lord & all the heavenly angels!

Joey Wiener

January 2, 2017

Thoughts and prayers to you Rose, and the family. He will greatly missed for everything he has done and accomplished in his lifetime. May God give you comfort and wrap his arms around you and give you peace. Our condolences and sympathies. Loren & Joey Wiener

Kathy Guinn/molitor

January 2, 2017

So sorry to hear of your dad's passing.
He was quite a man.
Will be praying for you all through this tough time.

Rich Eltgroth

January 2, 2017

Sympathy to all of Sylvester's family. He will be greatly missed! Many years ago when Sylvester decided to not run for re-election to the Sauk Centre Creamery Board of Directors, I was elected to that position in which I served 24 years. Before we built our new barn in 1967, my Dad and I looked at the Uphus milking parlor. He was a good man!
Richard Eltgroth

Tom Marthaler

January 4, 2017

Sylvester's friends who are already Home are going to enjoy seeing that Uphus smile again. I recall that Sylvester would stop on his way home from the Capital, and visit my Dad at the VA hospital. He would sit with his old friend and neighbor, (who could neither walk nor talk), and fill him in on current events before continuing home. It was a kindness I won't forget.

David Voller

January 3, 2017

I'll never forget spending a day with Sylvester at the Capitol during high school. Years later he would bring it up when I would see him at Lynx National. I grew to respect Sylvester for is Faith, Family, Hard Work and Civic Commitment. Sylvester was a great man who certainly left a mark on those he met.

Loren Meyer

January 3, 2017

I first met Sy when I was about six years old when he did some custom baling for my dad with his "Moline" wire tie baler. I re-met him forty years later when I worked with him on his 1988 and 1990 State Representative campaigns. He was still "full throttle" forty years later. I learned a lot from Sy and Vern Meyer and we had great fund. I always had great respect and admiration for Sy. My condolences to Rose and family.

Bill/Jan Burlet

January 3, 2017

To Mark and Barb Uphus Family: What a legacy your Dad, husband, grandfather, statesman has left all his beautiful family.......who will surely be missed. Admiration goes deep for this wonderful man.....our deepest sympathies to all your families.....Bill and Jan Burlet

Cheryl (Marthaler) Van Der Pol

January 3, 2017

I will never forget the kindness Sylvester extended to my Dad after his stroke. I didn't live in Minnesota at the time by my family described to me how Sylvester would come get my Dad from the Nursing Home and take him to eat at Tom's cafe. It thrilled my Dad - and the family. What a kind gesture that I have thought about many times. I also remember the times our families visited each other at our homes in the evening. The adults visited and we kids played and what a bunch we were! Fond memories!! My condolences to the family on their loss, but heaven's gain.

Juli Feinberg

January 3, 2017

To Mrs Rose Uphus and Family,
My family got to know Sylvester from his trips out to Arizona and we remember him always as kind, interesting and always involved. We remember with kindness the fish fry he cooked at my daughters home in Scottsdale and he was so busy preparing the fish for the dinner. he was always full of energy and life. And we as a family will always remember him that way. He was a wonderful man and always so open to helping and making everyone feel his energy when he was around.
We will always remember him with great fondness and his charitable work that he did.
he is now in God's light full of life and I am sure working on something for our dear Lord.
Fondly,
Juli and Ron Feinberg
Raegen and Rob Johnson

Life's journey

Melinda Silbernick

January 3, 2017

My heart goes out to Rose and Family, may you all be blessed, and may you find peace and happiness in the years to come. Melinda Silbernick

Melinda Silbernick

January 3, 2017

Janet Osendorf-Menk

January 3, 2017

What a kind, loving, generous, Christian and very handsome man Sylvester was. My brother's, Jim & Danny Osendorf, sister, Sue Osendorf Bayer & I, Janet Osendorf Menk met Sylvester for the first time last September while on a trip to learn more about our Ancestry. I can sure understand why he was loved by so many. He was a fine example in his love for Jesus Christ. How happy are you, Sylvester to be in His presence now.

Jim Osendorf

January 3, 2017

Sylvester was my second cousin. I met him for the first time last year with my two sisters and brother. We were doing family history research and someone from the Greenwald parish church introduced us. A wonderful man. We talked for about 1 1/2 hours in the church basement at Greenwald. He had a great memory of family history and we were engrossed in his memories from the past. So glad he and his family are part of our family tree. Jim Osendorf

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Patton-Schad Funeral Home - Sauk Centre

620 Beltline Road, Sauk Centre, MN 56378

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Sign Sylvester Uphus's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

January 6, 2017

Jack and JoAnn Meyer posted to the memorial.

January 5, 2017

Rick & Laurie Jennissen posted to the memorial.

January 4, 2017

Steve Sviggum posted to the memorial.