Conrad J Red Stearns

Conrad J. 'Red' Stearns August 30, 1924 - January 14, 2013

Conrad J. "Red" Stearns, age 88, a lifelong resident of Faribault, died Monday, January 14, 2013 at St. Lucas Care Center in Faribault.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 139 Mercy Drive, in Faribault. Interment will be held at St. Lawrence Cemetery, Faribault with military honors provided by the Rice County Central Veterans Association.

Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

Arrangements are being completed by the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault.

Conrad Joseph, the son of John and Clothilde (LeBlanc) Stearns, was born on August 30, 1924 in Faribault, MN. Conrad attended Sacred Heart Parochial School through 8th grade and then attended Faribault High School and graduated with the class of 1942. After high school, Conrad enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December 1942 and served aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Frankford in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters (including the D-Day invasion at Normandy) for four years to 1946. Conrad and Faribault classmate, Helen Zabel were united in marriage on July 20, 1945 in Long Beach, CA. After his discharge from the service, Conrad returned to Faribault. He was a long time employee at the Faribault Woolen Mill where he worked as a teenager before WWII and then retired there in 1989 after 37 years of continuous service. Conrad was a member of the VFW Post 1562 in Faribault and was an avid hunter and fisherman and also enjoyed woodworking.

He is survived by his wife Helen Stearns of Faribault; by three children, Thomas Stearns and special friend Dianne Hanson of Cleveland, MN, Mary (David) Mack of Black River Falls, WI and James (Joan) Stearns of Reston, VA; by eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren and other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Monsignor John Stearns and by his two sisters, Carole Klatt and Marian Noeller.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the choice of the donor in memory of Conrad.