Leilani Searles, 73, Rochester

Published 10:53 am Thursday, July 25, 2013

Leilani (Fink) Searles, 73, of Rochester, Minn., formerly of Rose Creek, Minn., passed away peacefully July 22, 2013, surrounded by her family at Seasons Hospice in Rochester.

Leilani Searles

Leilani Fink was born on Feb. 11, 1940, in Austin, Minn. She married Edward Searles on Sept. 30, 1961. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011 with a trip to Las Vegas with their four children.

Leilani was an award-winning cake decorator and a member of the International Cake Exploration Societe for more than 35 years having served as Minnesota state representative and as a convention show committee chair for two conventions. She enjoyed gardening and spending time at the lake with her family. She served as eucharistic minister for St. Francis Church for many years. She was employed in the food service industry as a cashier for more than 40 years and retired in 2011.

Survivors include her husband, Edward Searles of Rochester; four children, Roberta (Patrick) Gibbons of Apple Valley, Minn., Connie Searles of Apple Valley, Lori (Jeff) Cosner of Burnsville, Minn., and Michael Searles of Apple Valley; four grandsons, Christopher and Michael Gibbons and Joseph and Ryan Cosner; sisters and brother, Donna Busse of Adamsville, Tenn., Keith (Linda) Fink of Rochester and Karen Eich of Rushford, Minn. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest M. and Rose V. Fink.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the church service. Memorials to the family are preferred.

A funeral Mass to celebrate the life of Leilani (Fink) Searles will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 26, 2013, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Rochester with Father Mark C. McNea officiating. Internment will be at St. Peter’s Catholic Cemetery in Rose Creek, Minn. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes, www.ranfranzandvinefh.com, is in charge of arrangements.