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Florian "Sonny" Jurek, 85, Mahtowa, died in his home, the place he cherished most, on Thursday, December 2 ^nd , 2021. He was born in Kettle River on March 13 ^th , 1936 to Frank and Della (Mikrot) Jurek.

Florian grew up in Split Rock Township, attended Lincoln School in Split Rock Township, and later graduated from Moose Lake High School in 1954. He married the love of his life, Ann Marie Juutilainen, in Willow River on February 12 ^th , 1955. Sonny worked at Northwest Paper/Potlatch for 41 years before his retirement in 1997; where he was a proud member of the quarter-century club. Through the years, he also farmed and raised beef cattle in Mahtowa Township. Sonny was a member of St. Mary and Joseph's Catholic Church in Sawyer. He was proud of his home, which he took pride in upkeeping. Sonny enjoyed deer hunting, four-wheeling, playing bingo and scratch-offs, watching sports, and listening to polka music but loved nothing more than taking in the sights of his own back forty and farmland. He will be remembered for his dry sense of humor that always made people laugh, his hard-working ways, and the deep love he had for his family.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Ann Marie; son, Michael Jurek; brother, Bob Jurek; sisters-in-law, Eleanor and Dorothy Jurek; brother-in-law, Jack Kolodge; and parents, Frank and Della.

Sonny's memory will be cherished by his daughters, Cindy (Roger) Biebl, Cathy (Rich) Rudebeck, Colleen Wicklund, and Camie (Rusty) Wekseth; sons, Steve (Loretta) Jurek, Tim (Lisa) Jurek, and Dennis Jurek; grandchildren, Angie (Scott) Johnson, Derrek (Amie) Biebl, LeAnn (Patrick) Poirier, Jeremiah (Amy) Jurek, Noah (Lacie) Jurek, Peter (Lacey) Jurek, Lucas (Ari) Jurek, Trina Ennen, Chad (Jen) Rudebeck, Adam (Sarah) Rudebeck, Bronson Wicklund, Garrett Wicklund, Hannah (Tom) Jurek, Heidi (Kenny) Bentley, Helen Jurek, Alex Jurek, John (Dava) Jurek, Jennifer (Calen) Eschenbach, and their mom, Joyce Anderson, Heather (Mike) Norlen, Nate (Tara) Wekseth, Tyler (Holly) Wekseth, and Hannah (Noah) Dudley; 38 great-grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy (Duane) Halverson and Patricia Kolodge; brother, Leonard Jurek; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and special friends.

A visitation to honor Sonny's life will be held from 10:00am until the 11:00am Memorial Mass on Thursday, December 9 ^th , 2021 in St. Mary and Joseph's Catholic Church: 1225 Mission Road, Sawyer, MN. Inurnment to follow in Mount Salem Cemetery, Mahtowa.