SARTELL, Minn. — Celebration of the life of Virgil Dreher, 87, of Sartell will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2018 at First United Methodist Church of the St Cloud Area in Sartell, Minn. 

Virgil passed away on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at Country Manor Health Care Center of Sartell. Pastor Leah Rosso will officiate and burial will be at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Sartell. Friends and relatives may call from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Monday Oct. 29th, 2018, at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids, Minn. and also one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. 

Virgil Richard Dreher was born Sept. 13, 1931 in Hays, Kan. to Matthew and Anna (Sauer) Dreher. Virgil grew up on a farm in Schoenschen, Kan. He married Phyllis (Zelenka) on Aug. 10, 1952 at Grace Evangelical Reform Church in Seward, Kan. Virgil joined the United States Naval Reserve, started Pharmacy School then was recruited to manage a Rexall Drugstore in Great Bend, Kan. Virgil and Phyllis owned and operated Dreher’s Sundries in Great Bend. A move to Willmar, Minn. Jan 1968 for a new Rexall traveling salesman position meant the chance to build a new lake home. Rexall Drug Company promoted Virgil to the Rexall Drug headquarters in St Louis in 1980 where his job descriptions included Assistant Administrator, District Sales Manager, and National Accounts Manager. He later became the Vice President of the sales division for Pharmacy Buyer’s Association. Virgil retired in 1999.   

Virgil and his wife Phyllis became members of the United Methodist Church, St Cloud Region after returning to Minnesota in 2007. They were instrumental in building the new church in Sartell. Virgil loved yardwork, bible study, barbequing, church activities, and walking. He also loved to play Scrabble and Bridge, spending time with family and friends, and singing! Virgil was active in the church Men’s Group, ELKS Organization, the SALT program, and the Sartell Senior Connection.

Survivors include his daughters and son, Kala (Roger) Haller, Sauk Rapids, Minn.; Brian (Stacey-Simek Dreher), Sherman, Ill.; and Barbara (Rick) Ianniello, Mason, Ohio; grandchildren, Kyle, Chad, Matthew, Chelsea, Angela and Isaiah; great-grandchildren, Meridy, Knox, Maren, and Quincy. He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; parents; and siblings, Lucille Scheck, Alvin, Elmer, and Bernadette Leikam.

Memorials are preferred to the Country Manor Foundation. Obituary, guestbook and video tribute available online: www.williamsdingmann.com.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes

324 2nd Ave. S. 

Sauk Rapids, MN 56379

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Oct. 24, 2018