Kenneth E. Pierskalla

1936 - 2025

Kenneth E. Pierskalla, 89, of St. Cloud, passed away peacefully May 23, 2025, at Talamore Senior Living, after living with dementia for about six years.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held May 29 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The Rev. Derek Wiechmann officiated.
Kenneth Edward Pierskalla was born March 9, 1936 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to his parents, Louis and Selina Pierskalla. Ken graduated from Technical High School in St. Cloud in 1954. He went on to enlist into the U.S. Navy, with his basic training and advance training in Illinois and went on to Beeville, Texas, where he was a navigator on naval airplanes, sitting directly behind the pilot. Following his time in the Navy, he moved back to the St. Cloud area to be a lineman with Northwestern Bell Telephone Company. Ken met the love of his life, Marilyn Eleanor Rassier, and they were wed July 18, 1960, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joseph. Ken and Marilyn moved around often due to Ken's position with the phone company. Some of the towns included Sauk Centre, Brainerd, Little Falls, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Hibbing and Duluth. With his proven dedication to the company, his career advanced to becoming regional manager with Northwestern Bell and US West.
Ken has been a parishioner with Holy Spirit Catholic Church in St. Cloud since 1990 and was a Knight of Columbus of the third degree. He is the 25th elected honorary ambassador for Winter Frolic Titan of Taconite in Hibbing. Ken spent time volunteering for Special Olympics, putting life lines in for Telephone Pioneers, ARC and simply helping those in need.
He was an outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing and woodworking. Ken enjoyed gardening, specifically roses, polka dancing, traveling, and spending time with family.
He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marilyn; parents Louis and Selina; daughter Linda Pierskalla; daughter-in-law Lisa Pierskalla; brothers Jim and Robert Pierskalla; and sister Theresa Pierskalla.
His legacy lives on through his sons, Mark (Diane) and Stephen (Karen Davis); daughters Julie (Anthony) Sorteberg and Wanda (Chad) Belich; grandchildren Joshua, Justin, Johnathan, Jeremy, Callista, Anthony Jr., Anneka, Gabriel, Andy, Adam, Alexis, Nick, Ben, Amanda, Mike, Brad, Cynthia and Nick; and many great-grandkids.
In lieu of flowers, please donate your memorials to the Alzheimer's Association or the American Lyme Disease Foundation.

"Our Country is in Mourning, A Veteran Died Today."