Edwin M. "Lefty" Perne

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waite Park for Edwin Matthew “Lefty” Perne, age 88 of Waite Park, who is now pain free at last as of Tuesday, February 15, 2011. Reverend Vincent Lieser will officiate. Burial will be Friday at the Minnesota Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls with full Military Honors.

Family and friends may call after 9:30 a.m. on Thursday at the church in Waite Park. Arrangements are with the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud.

He called himself the “22 Special” born October 12, 1922. He was a proud WWII veteran serving in China/Burma/India under the leadership of General Joseph Stilwell building the Burma Road to China. After his service to our country he married Alvera Heurung in Avon, MN, they later divorced. Lefty worked as a water specialist in Greenland and also a lineman in northern Alaska. He enjoyed traveling nationwide attending annual CBI Basha’s and was at one time the residing commander for the Minnesota Basha. In 1985 he retired from American Motors/Chrysler Corporation in Kenosha, Wisc. as a Master Mechanic and moved to Minnesota to be closer to his five children. Lefty was a proud member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 31 years and enjoyed crossword puzzles and using a large vocabulary for an “uneducated man” as he would say. He could make the best “glorified hamburger and potato soup” you have ever tasted. Lefty was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the China-Burma-India Association, the St. Cloud V.F.W. Granite Post #428, Waite Park American Legion Silver Star Post #428, and a former member of the Eagles Aerie #622.

He is survived by his children; Beverly Auer (Bill Birmingham) of Texarkana, TX, Shirley Smith (Nick) of Avon, MN, Maxine Storbeck (Sherwood) of St. Cloud, MeriLynn Suchocki (Terry) of Lake Geneva, WI and Edwin Perne Jr. (Anna) of Redondo Beach, CA; grandchildren, Kimberly, Brian, Shannon, Jake, and Mikeala; and two great-grandchildren, Isaac, and Addison; sister-in-law, Eunie Norlin.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers; and six sisters.