Date of Birth:
Wednesday, July 12, 1933
Date of Death:
Thursday, November 28, 2024
Age:
91 years old

Lea H. Pagel

Lea Pagel, of Rochester, MN died Thursday, November 28th, 2024, at Seasons Hospice House.   

Lea was born in Mower County on July 12, 1933, to Heye Renken and Bertha (Dicken) Renken.  She attended country school and graduated from Stewartville High School in 1951. On August 17, 1957, she married Clifton G. Pagel at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN. Together they farmed and raised their family in rural Eyota until moving to Rochester in 1991.     

Much of Lea’s life was spent working on the family farm and raising her five children. After moving to Rochester, Lea worked at HyVee for several years. Lea loved cooking, baking, sewing and reading.  She was a member of Bethel Church for over 60 years and volunteered in a variety of ways. Being a member of the church quilting group was one of her favorite ways to serve the Bethel community. Lea believed in the importance of education and encouraged her children to pursue opportunities and experiences that were important to them while always providing the behind the scenes support to allow those things to happen. Lea loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren, supported and celebrated their interests and was so proud of each one of them. She was a kind, hardworking person who served others and accepted people for who they were. She will be missed by anyone who was ever blessed to meet her.   

Survivors include her children: one daughter, Rose (Dale) Turnacliff of Northfield, MN; and four sons, Ronald (Lori) Pagel of Eyota, Roger (Ann) Pagel of Rochester, Robert (Chaz) Pagel of Nerstrand, and Richard (Tracey) Pagel of Stewartville; 11 grandchildren: Ryan (Lynn) Turnacliff, Andrew (Anna) Turnacliff, Minneapolis; Jeffrey (Chandra) Pagel, Timothy (Ellie) Pagel, Eyota; Mark (Adriel) Pagel, South Bend, IN, Madeline (Jacob) Anderson, Byron; Mason Pagel, Ella Pagel, Wyatt Pagel, Nerstrand; Aaron Pagel and Alex Pagel, Stewartville; 3 great grandchildren; Evie Pagel, Cooper Pagel, and Gracie Pagel, Eyota and numerous nieces and nephews.  Lea was preceded in death by her husband, Clifton, two sisters and one brother.   

The funeral will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 5th, 2024, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester, MN with Rev. Anjanette Bandel officiating.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.  Burial will be at Grandview Memorial Gardens in Rochester.    

The Pagel Family wishes to express a special thank you to the Meadow Lakes Community, her home for the past eight years and to Mayo Palliative Care and Seasons Hospice House for the compassionate care she received during her final days. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Bethel Lutheran Church or Seasons Hospice.