Arthur Lufkin, 90
Crookston - Arthur E. Lufkin, 90, died Saturday, November 6, 1999 at Riverview Hospital in Crookston.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, November 11, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Crookston. Interment will be in Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston.
Visitation will be held today (Wednesday, November 10) from 5 to 7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service at Stenshoel-Houske Funeral Home in Crookston. Visitation will also be held for one hour prior to services at the church.
Arthur Lufkin was born on March 22, 1909 in Thief River Falls, the son of Fred and Gunil (Reirson) Lufkin. He grew up in Thief River Falls and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1928. Art's first employment was with the Minnesota Highway Department. In 1936, he became a patrolman with the Minnesota Highway Patrol.
On October 17, 1937, he was united in marriage to Hilda Vraa at Crookston where the couple made their home. After retiring from the highway patrol in 1951, Art, in partnership with Bill Larson, purchased the Grill Cafe in Crookston and later started the Spot Cafe. He bought out his partner and operated the cafes until the early 1960s. For several years, Art was a school bus driver for the Crookston school district, operated the Mileage Gas Station and served as Justice of the Peace for the City of Crookston. Hilda died on July 9, 1972.
On December 13, 1974, Art was united in marriage to the former Leola Zachgo at Yankton, SD. The couple made their home in Crookston. Art worked as a jailer at the Polk County Jail when it was located in the courthouse and later at the newly constructed Polk County Law Enforcement and Corrections Center. He also took care of transporting and transferring prisoners, continuing in these roles until the early 1980s. Leola died on June 27, 1999.
Art enjoyed his family, having coffee every day with his friends, restoring automobiles and fishing.
He was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church.
Art is survived by two sons, Gary (Anne) Lufkin and Dean Lufkin, both of Crookston; one daughter, Judy Rocha of Crookston; three stepsons, Ronald Irelan of Goodridge, Wayne (Tammy) Irelan of Duvall, WA and Kenneth (Jennifer) Buck of Shady Springs, WV; one stepdaughter, Bonnie Lea Armstrong of Jacksonville, FL; 16 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one sister Harriet (Lloyd) Larson of Holt; one brother-in-law; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives.
In addition to his wives, he was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Orville Lufkin; and two sisters, Myrtle Seeger and Esther Caillier. A00003B1999NV10