Mailen Earl Pringle

A ceremony commemorating the life of Mailen Pringle, 75, of Cottonwood, will take place at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at Horvath Remembrance Center in Marshall. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Remembrance Center.                 A luncheon and continued celebration of Mailen’s cherished life will follow the ceremony at the Hanley Falls Fire Hall.

Mailen Earl Pringle was born on July 30th, 1950, in Clarkfield, MN, to Elwood and Donna (Aitchison) Pringle. He grew up on the family farm just outside of Cottonwood until 1958, when they moved into Cottonwood after the unexpected passing of his father in the fall of 1957. Mailen graduated from Cottonwood High School in 1969. After high school, Mailen entered the workforce, starting his adult working career as a mechanic for Smith Farm Store in Cottonwood and bartending at the Cottonwood bar. Mailen joined the Cottonwood Fire Department in 1974, which he retired from in 2001. Mailen would later take a job at Mid-Continent Cabinetry in Cottonwood, where he worked for 30 plus years in the warehouse. While working full-time at Mid-Continent Cabinetry, Mailen also started a couple of small businesses of his own. The first one being Mainstreet Gallery, where he would frame and mat prints for over 20 years. Mailen also started A&M Transfer, a small trucking business in the early 2000’s, where he would haul wood products and make cabinet deliveries all around MN and neighboring states.

On April 11, 1987, he was united in marriage to Alane Braun. The two loved taking trips to the family cabin in northern MN, and in more recent years, taking camping trips in their little RV. Mailen was a Harley-Davidson enthusiast who loved to go on long road trips all across the United States and Canada, most of them being with his brother-in-law and best friend, Al. Mailen was a handyman who would always try to fix or repair any car or house project on his own, often self-taught by YouTube videos. Mailen also enjoyed watching his kids and grandkids at sporting events, hunting, fishing, reading, and following the MN Vikings. Mailen’s favorite place to be was at the family cabin on Hartley Lake in Bovey, MN. He spent countless hours working and fixing up the cabin, making it what it is today.

Mailen died on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, surrounded by family and under hospice care at his residence in Cottonwood. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Alane, of Cottonwood. Son Jon Paul (Amanda) Pringle of Hanley Falls, grandchildren Jakob (Shelby Gravley), Austin, Kaiden, and Jemma; daughter Kari Ann (Johnny) Burt of Eden Prairie, grandchildren ShaeAnn, Brady, and Addie; son Zach (Jenell) Pringle of Cottonwood, grandchildren Mccoy, Griffin, and baby due in June. Siblings Sheila Wilkens, Myron (Margie) Pringle, Nola (Ross) Thompson; In-laws Al Anderson, Chuck Zvorak, Barb Himle, Sanndy (Woody) Miller, Steve (Pat) Braun, and Kevin Braun; as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Elwood and Donna Pringle; sister, Margaret Anderson; nephew, Adam Wilkens; In-laws Donald and Lorna Braun, and LeeAnn Zvorak.