Gary Honken

Gary Honken, age 83, changed his address from Thompson to Heaven on March 16, 2022. In lieu of a traditional funeral, Gary’s wish was to have a weekend open house party on the farm in Thompson. Any who want to atttend can bring a tent/camper, food and drink. Others can come and go as they wish. The time spent together with a bonfire and sharing stories is planned for July 30-31.

Gary was a May Basket baby born on May 1, 1938 to Harry and Margaret (Smith) Honken. He grew up and graduated from Buffalo Center High School in 1956.

He attended Waldorf College in Forest City, where he sang in Odvin Hagen’s Waldorf College Acappella Choir. It was there he met the love of his life, Francile Retland, and they were together from that day forward.

Gary was an elementary school teacher, elementary principal, and school superintendent. He taught 6th grade in Blooming Prairie, MN, Vacaville, CA, Forest Lake, MN and New Ulm, MN. He was an elementary principal in Adrian, MN and Blue Earth, MN, and he also held the school superintendent position in Harmony, MN. While in Blue Earth, Gary worked with then Apple Computer Inc. CEO John Scully to help create the Apple “Classroom of Tomorrow”, which became a showroom for Apple hosting educators from around the world.

In 1988, Gary and Francile took a life-changing journey, traveling to Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia, where Gary became the principal of an American school and later was Director of Information & Technology for ARAMACO schools in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. They were in the Gulf War during US military operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During this time, they were regularly interviewed by WCCO radio personalities in Minneapolis. One of Gary’s favorite memories during Desert Shield was hosting Minnesota servicemen in their home every Thursday evening for dinner. On Christmas Eve, they asked for six troops from Minnesota, and due to a mixup, instead received twelve hungry men looking for a home-cooked meal. Francile called one friend, which resulted in many people bringing food to prepare and help serve our US military soldiers. One of the guys played basketball against Gary’s son, Tom, so he felt like he was home. Aother of Gary’s best memories was helping plant a church - a great challenge in a Muslim country.

After returning to Minnesota ten years later, Gary was employed in the computer department at Methodist Hospital, and all the Park Nicollet clinics in the Twin Cities. When they rolled out the new computer system, Gary and his team provided all the training for the doctors and nurses. His favorite place was the cancer center at Methodist. Little did he know, he would be a patient there in the process. On Friday, August 13, 1999 he was diagnosed with non Hodgkin’s lymphoma, participated in two lymphoma research programs, and was a walking miracle for 23 years.

In the past few years, Gary was diagnosed with dementia and this past summer, up until Christmas, Gary walked the 1.1 miles from his house to the Thompson bank once, twice, sometimes three times a day. He knew Adam and the girls at the bank needed his help, and they treated him like he was the president of the bank. On weekends, if Gary was walking and his nice young neighbor Josh would see him, Josh would stop and talk with Gary, pick him up and take him to the bank. He would then bring him home after Gary finally realized that the bank was not about to open for him. Gary also enjoyed his weekly (or more) visits from Dean and Mary, and their infinite patience and kindness.

Gary always liked cars: new cars, old cars, fast cars, stock cars, etc. His favorites were his 1958 Ford retractable hard-top, his red Camaro convertible, and the 1928 Franklin he and his son, Paul, bought and fixed up to drive in parades and take to Back to the 50s Car Show every year - a highlight of his year.

He loved to travel, with Norway and Greece being some of his favorites. But he would go anywhere, once hopping on a flight to Miami, eating an ice cream cone and then back to Minneapolis, taking advantage of free flight benefits due to his son Paul’s position at a US based airline.

Gary and Francile did years of square dancing, line dancing, going to Broadway plays and concerts, golfing, and attending Hawkeye and Gopher football and basketball games. Gary was a camper through and through. He and Francile started taking the kids when they were little and continued into retirement by going to Texas and Arizona for many winters. Always the educator, Gary wanted students to learn. He donated his body to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, so the student doctors and nurses can learn more about non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and dementia. He joked, “[the students] will certainly have a good laugh when they open my body.”

He was brought up in a loving Christian home, and accepted Jesus at a very young age. His whole life has been church, family and school. He sang solos, was in choirs, directed kids and adult choirs, and directed a church musical “Specially for Shepherds,” which was performed on TV. Gary was also a Luther League advisor, on various church councils, and participated on church prayer teams. His favorite song was “I Can Only Imagine,” and his favorite saying was, “God is good all the time… and all the time, God is good.” Gary loved life, and he had a heart of gold.

Gary’s kids, Paul, Tom and Holly were his pride and joy. He always encouraged them, the Barnabas that he was, to do the best they could, enjoy what they were doing, and make the best of every situation. He wanted them to try different things and expand their horizons. Gary had eight grandchildren, enjoying each one for their unique traits and talents. He enjoyed going to any game, play, concert or other activity in which they were involved. He even had a ranked chess player in one of his grandsons.

Gary will be missed and remembered by his wife of 62 years, Francile; his children, Paul (Susan), Tom (Kenna), and Holly; and his grandchildren, Blaze, Nicholas, Emma, George, Anika, Kate and William. He is also survived by a special cousin, Mary Lee Lowe.

Those already dancing in Heaven with him are his granddaughter, Rachel Honken; parents, Harry and Margaret Honken; and parents-in-law, Kenneth and Rachel Retland.

Oakcrest Funeral Services is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.oakcrestfuneralservices.com