John Drewelow

John W. Drewelow, age 87, of Graceville, MN, died on January 19, 2020, at Avantara in Milbank, SD.

Funeral services will be on Thursday, January 23, at 11:00 a.m. at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Graceville. Pastor Donald Main will officiate. Burial, with military honors, will be at the Graceville Consolidated Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22, at Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home in Graceville and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church in Graceville on Thursday.

John William Drewelow was born on April 16, 1932, on the family farm in Parnell Township, Traverse County, Minnesota, to William and Frieda (Schultz) Drewelow. John went to country school in Beardsley, MN, and attended West Central School of Agriculture in Morris, MN, for two years. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. John married Floradeen Arndt on May 2, 1953, at Holden Lutheran Church near Beardsley. He worked as a blacksmith in Milan, MN, and farmed for several years before moving into Graceville. He purchased the insurance office in 1964, and he owned and operated the Drewelow Agency in Graceville until he retired. After retirement, John purchased land and farmed.

John was a member of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church since 1964. He belonged to the Graceville Service Club, American Legion Post 297, served on the school board, belonged to the Ortonville Golf Club, and was a long-time member and past president of the Graceville Golf Club. John’s interests included golfing, fishing, hunting, and farming. He especially enjoyed many elk hunting trips to Colorado, and fishing trips to Canada. John and Floradeen spent many winters in Florida and Arizona, making new friends and playing golf.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 66 years, Floradeen of Graceville, MN; children: Deborah (Don) Pullis of Graceville, MN; John Drewelow, Jr. of Graceville, MN; Dawn Drewelow of Willmar, MN; and DeAnn (Gary) Behrens of Wheaton, MN; grandchildren: Craig (Stacey) Pullis, Carissa Green, Elisia Drewelow, Tanner Drewelow, Jason Dresch, Angel Dresch, Jordan Dresch, Steph (Tyler) BehrensBurg, Garrett Behrens, and Carter Behrens; seven great-grandchildren; brother, James Drewelow; sisters: Helen Chapman and Dianne While; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Arnold, Richard, William, Lawrence, and Warren; and sisters: Dorothy Noel, Clarice Schwatzwalter, and Berdine Spitzer.