Kenneth Francis Haberle

Kenneth Francis Haberle, age 80, from St. Peter MN, passed away on Saturday, February 26 2022.  Ken was born March 22, 1941, at home in Pierz, MN to George and Susie (Theiss) Haberle, the eleventh of twelve children. After leaving home, he joined the Army, volunteering for overseas duty. Bunking in barracks with half the personnel from the cities of New Jersey and New York, it became clear to Ken that, “Being from Minnesota and being raised on a farm was really living right.”

Ken met his wife, Bernadette Rahm on a blind date. He was a chef at the German Heidelberg restaurant in Bloomington, and she was working at the Federal Reserve in Minneapolis. Two years later they were married at St. John’s Catholic Church in Foley, MN. His next job was running a jackhammer at Hitchcock Industries. Ken then began night school to become a tool and die maker. He eventually became Hitchcock’s lead engineer, working on classified aerospace projects. He worked on the Space Shuttle, Sikorsky helicopters, and all aircrafts. His last project was designing the fuel control systems for the Air Force’s YF-22 Raptor fighter planes. Ever the inventor, Ken started his own family run business producing sand casting locators in 1969. His goal was to provide work so all of his children could graduate from college. They did. Ken passed this successful business on by mentoring his daughter Gail Moline. Her family now runs it. Growing up, Ken loved cutting trees with his dad, hunting in the woods, and getting together with people on Sundays. His motto was “everything is fixable.” He loved classical music, watching football and feeding birds. One of Ken’s hidden talents was his amazing ability to whistle any tune.  He used this whistle to make his family smile. Ken had lots of good advice he quietly shared with others if you were listening. You can’t unring a bell, (which means think before you speak). He lived by the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12, “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” He said to remember, “Life can be a struggle for others to do.” 

In 2021, Ken was diagnosed with ALS. His body became paralyzed from the outside in. Ken never complained about his struggles. Riding this downhill rollercoaster he would say in his upbeat attitude, “It is what it is”. He focused on the good, made others laugh at his witty jokes, and accepted everyone. He was a wonderful husband, great dad, and the sweetest grandpa. 

Ken enjoyed singing Hymns. He would drive to the neighboring towns for church if they had better music, which meant they sang Hymns. Ken believed in God. He was looking forward to being in Heaven with Him. He would say, “Being with God is going to be so incredible that you won’t care about anything else.”

Ken is survived by his loving wife, Bernadette, and their four children, Rod (Donna) Haberle, Michelle (Brian) Hicks, Lisa (Steve) Stracek, Gail (Robert) Moline and 18 grandchildren  Dustin Nyblom, Allie Nyblom;  Meridith (Benjamin) Barringer, Bradly Hicks, Jakob (Hope) Hicks, Mariah (Mitchell) Bonnstetter, Madelynne Hicks, Mercedies Hicks, Adam Hicks,  Mallorie Hicks, David Hicks, Stephen Hicks;  Josephine Stracek, Jonathan Stracek, James Stracek; Michael Moline, Makayla Moline, Mackenzie Moline; and 3 great-grandchildren, Julianna Barringer, Gabbie Barringer, Isla Bonnstetter; and godchild Amy Rahm.

Ken was preceded in death by his parents George and Susanne Haberle; siblings, Fern Dolly, Elizabeth (Avery) Bryant, Gervais (Honnalore) Haberle, Cecelia Dunsmoor, and Shirley Brummer.

Memorial Mass will be 11:00 am Thursday, March 3, 2022, at the St Peter Catholic Church in St. Peter with visitation one hour prior. Services will be livestreamed at www.saintpeterfuneralhome.com, for those who cannot attend.  Interment will follow at a later date at Fort Ripley Cemetery in Little Falls MN.

This is a complimentary service provided by St. Peter Funeral Home.

In case a technical difficulties during the livestream, this will become a recording following the service.