James L. Berendt
LITTLE FALLS - James L. Berendt, 68-year-old resident of Little Falls, Minn., passed away Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Mass of Christian Burial for James will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls, Minn., with Father Nicholas Landsberger officiating. Burial will be at St. Adalbert's Cemetery in Little Falls. Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are with the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls.
James Berendt
James Lee Berendt was born on July 6, 1941, in Little Falls, Minn., to the late John and Helen (Norgren) Berendt. He attended the Little Falls schools, graduating in 1959. Jim started working at Larson Boatworks and then he worked on the construction of the Big Bend Dam in Chamberlain, S.D. In 1962, he went to work for Brockway Glass Co. in Rosemount, Minn., until 1966 when he began working for Garrett Freight Lines in St. Paul. Jim then returned to Little Falls in 1968 and worked for Hennepin Paper Co. for the next 30 years until its closing. He then finished up, back with Larson Boatworks until retiring in 2003.
Jim was united in marriage to Janet Budenski of Cannon Falls, Minn., on April 16, 1966, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Together they had two sons, Jerome and Jack. Jim enjoyed hunting and fishing with his sons and friends. He also enjoyed spending time at their cabin in the woods near Itasca State Park and later at a small camper he used during hunting season. Jim was handy with remodeling and completed various building projects around their home. He was a member of St. Mary's Church and the Little Falls Rifle Club.
Jim is survived by his wife of 43 years, Janet; sons, Jerome, of Little Falls, and Jack (Kristie), of Fort Ripley; grandchildren, Brianna, Jacob, Joshua and Kylie; mother-in-law, Grace Budenski, of Cannon Falls; and sister-in-law, Marjorie Berendt, of Cannon Falls.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, John, in April of 2009.
Arrangements are with the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls.