Roger Henry Stoufer

Roger Stoufer died November 7, 2022 at the New Ulm Medical Center from Covid. Roger was born in Echo, MN on May 14, 1939. He was 83 years old and never met a person he didn’t like.

He married Sheryl Preston on August 25, 1962. They had two children, Michelle Renea and David Scott. Sheryl died in 1975 from kidney failure.

In 1977, he met the second love of his life, Beverly Roy. They adopted one son, Chad, from Korea.

Roger and Bev were a team and enjoyed travel, auctions, and reading (they often read together with 2 copies of a book). Roger wrote and published a book, Tales of a Teacher. The proceeds went to many charities. Roger was a member of the Memoirs Writing Group at VINE. His idea for the group to write the book, Preserving Memories, earned over $10,000 for the Vine Community Center.

Roger wrote every day. He read every day. His passions included keeping up with politics and what was happening in education. Once a teacher, always a teacher. He was an active Democrat.

He loved living on a lake, first Lake Jefferson for 2 years, then Lake Geneva in Alexandria, MN for 8 years, and finally in Madison Lake for 26 years before moving back to Mankato.

Roger was a teacher for over 35 years, starting in Stewart, MN and coming to Mankato in 1965. He served on District 77 School Board for 5 years after retiring.

He was a proud member of Centenary Methodist Church and served on many committees. Community service was important to him. He was a member of the Hilltop Kiwanis from 1994-2002 and Y’s Men from 1980-1992.

Roger became principal of the Alternative High School in 1992. He was most proud of developing the middle school program for chronic truants. It was an interagency development of a model school starting in the basement of the police department.

Roger was also an entrepreneur. He bought and sold many homes. He and Beverly owned B&R Cook Paint. In 1980, he and his brother started V&L Wholesale Auto in Belview, MN which later became Stoufers Auto Sales in Madison Lake with his son.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly; 3 children, Michelle Stoufer of Eagle Lake, David (Tana) Stoufer of Madison Lake, and Chad Stoufer of Mankato; 3 granddaughters, Anastasia Nereson, Chloe Hawbaker, and Celia Hawbaker; sister, Susan Jones of Vadnais Heights; special niece, Bonita Plath of Prior Lake; and many other nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lowell and Mabel Stoufer of Echo, MN; sister, Faye Robertson of Coon Rapids; and brother, Larry Stoufer of Belview, MN.

Roger touched the lives of many. His last words were, “I had a good life. Enjoyed life.”

Visitation will be held from 4-7pm, Friday, November 18, 2022 at Centenary United Methodist Church (501 S. 2nd Street, Mankato, MN 56001). Memorial service will be 11am, Saturday, November 19, 2022 at Centenary with visitation one hour prior. Burial will take place at a later date at Glenwood Cemetery, Mankato. Please share a memory of Roger with his family and view his service via livestream at www.mankatomortuary.com.

The family prefers memorials be directed to Centenary United Methodist Church, Kennedy's Disease Association (www.kennedysdisease.org), Blue Earth County Historical Society, or VINE.