Richard C. Pfaffinger

Dick was born November 2, 1920, in Blue Earth, the son of Joseph and Catherine (Birkeneder) Pfaffinger.He was raised and educated in Blue Earth where he was a 1939 graduate of Blue Earth High School. Following school he helped farm his family farm before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1943, at the age of 22. Dick was a top turret gunner and flight engineer in the Air Force. He flew missions from Naples, Italy and was forced down near Yugoslavia in the Adriatic Sea. He was interrogated in Verona, Italy and was a POW at Stalag Luft I in Barth, East Germany for 13 months. He received the Air Medal, 2 Battle Stars, Good Conduct Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and the Purple Heart. He returned to Blue Earth in November of 1945 where he continued farming. He was married to Agnes Bruns on August 16, 1973 in Pipestone, Minnesota. Dick was very involved with local clubs and organizations and always believed, and was often heard to say, "there is no place like home." He was a lifetime member of SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the Blue Earth American Legion Post 89. He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4580, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 32 and the American Ex-POW''s. Dick held many offices of the American Legion Post 89, including past post commander. He was a longtime chairman of the Minnesota Department of the American Legion Hospitalized Veterans Pheasant Dinners, raising thousands of dollars for hospitalized veterans across Minnesota. Dick is survived by his wife, Agnes Pfaffinger of Blue Earth, his daughter, Eileen Luedtke of Minneapolis, his son, Mike (& Valerie) Blumenschein of Blue Earth, his daughter, Joan (& Jon) Fering of Chaska, his daughter, Cindy Gilstrap of Phoenix, Arizona, his brother, Walter Pfaffinger of Blue Earth, his brother, Edward Pfaffinger of Blue Earth, his sister, Helen Pfaffinger of Tucson, Arizona, his sister-in-law, Vivian Pfaffinger of Mankato, 9 grandchildren: Jacob & Brandolyn Luedtke, Crystal (& Brayden) Meverden, Brittney Blumenschein, Joseph Dorn, Christina (& Mike) TenEyck, Emma Fering, Elsa Fering & Brad Fering, and many cousins, nieces & nephewsHe was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers: Frank, John & Otto Pfaffinger and a sister-in-law, Kathleen Pfaffinger.