Kenneth Max Pinke, 91, of Austin, Minn., died Saturday morning, Nov. 24, 2012, at the Adams Health Care Center in Adams.

Kenneth was born July 28, 1921, in Elkton, Minn., the son of Max and Anna (Steingraber) Pinke. He attended school in Elkton, graduating from Elkton High School in 1939. He continued his education at Austin Junior College in the dentistry program. He served with the United States Marine Corps during World War II, serving in the Pacific from 1943 to 1944. He was united in marriage to Darlene Albertson on June 8, 1947, in Leland, Iowa. They made their home in rural Elkton, where Kenneth worked at Geo A. Hormel as a mechanic from 1947 until his retirement in 1982. He also farmed during that time, retiring from farming in 1992. He was a member of VFW Post 1216 and American Legion Post 91 and a former member of St. John’s Lutheran Church of Elkton. He enjoyed square dancing, hunting, farming, welding, machine repair, cutting trees and hauling firewood.

Survivors include his wife, Darlene Pinke of Austin; three children, Dana (Sherri) Pinke of Roberts, Wis., Dawn (Paul) Anderson of St. Paul, Minn., and Karen (Robert) Hyland of Dexter, Minn.; four grandchildren, James Pinke, Sean Pinke, Ian Cooper and Erik Hyland; two brothers, Victor (Joyce) Pinke of Clear Lake, Iowa, and Alvin (Delores) Pinke of Bullhead City, Ariz.; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Dennis Pinke; grandson, Elijah Cooper; two brothers, Herb Pinke and Walter Pinke; and one sister, Edna Meyer.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012, at the Worlein Funeral Home Chapel in Austin with Pastor Liz Erickson of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Elkton, officiating. Military honors will be by VFW Post 1216 and American Legion Post 91. Interment will be at a later date in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery near Elkton. Visitation will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Tuesday at Worlein Funeral Home. Memorials are preferred to the family. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.