Corey Jon Youngberg

COREY JON YOUNGBERG, age 55, of Waseca passed away at his home on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 after a long battle with renal cell carcinoma. 

Born on January 28, 1969, in Waseca, Corey was the son of Karl and Lucille (Schauer) Youngberg. He graduated from Waseca High School with the class of 1987. Corey furthered his education at various colleges and universities before graduating from Minnesota State University – Mankato with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Following his education he began working at Elm Homes. Corey was united in marriage to Katie Bendix in 1992 and had two children, Henry and Oliver. They were later divorced. 

In 2003, he began working at the Freeborn County Detention Center as a corrections officer where he met Debra Nelson. They were united in marriage on September 3, 2010, in Augusta, Georgia. On May 9, 2010, Corey enlisted into the United States Army in Georgia. His ability to learn, adapt, and integrate new material made him the subject matter expert in many fields. He was essential in training 138 soldiers; because he enlisted at the age of 41, many of these soldiers looked up to him and considered him a father figure. Corey was honorably discharged on May 8, 2018. Corey continued to work for Freeborn County until he retired in 2019 due to his health. During his working career, Corey enjoyed volunteering with the Waseca County Police Reserve. 

In retirement, he enjoyed woodworking, pheasant hunting, and telling dad jokes. He was a jack of all trades and a problem solver. He cherished the time spent with his children and loved supporting their various activities. He was a member of Pheasants Forever for the past seven years. 

Corey is survived by his wife, Debra Youngberg; children, Oliver (Kendra) Youngberg of Mankato, Henry Youngberg of Stevens Point, WI, Brianna Nelson of Bloomington; mother, Lucille Youngberg of Waseca; grandchildren, Rory and Khobi Peck; brother, Kent (Lisa) Youngberg of New Jersey; nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Louie. 

He was preceded in death by his father, Karl Youngberg; grandparents, and cherished hunting dog, Panzer.

The family would like to thank the staff of Minneapolis Veterans Affairs and St. Croix Hospice for their comforting care and support.

Visitation will be from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM on Friday, December 6, 2024, at the State Street Chapel of Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Waseca. Sharing of Memories will begin at 12:00 PM followed by a reception at the funeral home. Interment will be at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston at a later date.