Karl Drago Oberstar Sr.

Funeral Mass for Karl Drago Oberstar Sr., 92, of Gilbert, will be 10am Thursday, January 19, 2017 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Gilbert with Fr. Michael Garry as celebrant. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5-7pm, with recitation of the rosary at 6:30pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert and will continue for one hour prior to the mass at church. Burial will be in the Gilbert Cemetery. He died Saturday, January 14, 2017 at Diamond Willow Assisted Living in Mt. Iron, MN. Karl was born September 29, 1924 in Susje, (Slovenia) Yugoslavia to Karl Sr. and Jozefa (Kosir) Oberstar. On June 10, 1950 he married Maria Turkovich in Sharding, Austria. In April 1952 he immigrated to Gilbert, Minnesota from Austria with his wife, Maria and infant son Karl Jr. Karl worked construction for Bryers & Belt in Virginia and later in the iron mining industry. He was a steel worker with the Union Local #4108 in Elcor for the Pickands-Mather Company, and was a 35 year employee of Erie Mining Company/LTV Steel as a locomotive engineer and main line engineer with the train run to Taconite Harbor boat docks. Karl was especially known for and his greatest hobby was being a skilled craftsman. He was talented in construction of garages, sidewalks, basements and homes. In his earlier years he enjoyed fishing in Canada with friends. He was a deer hunter and gardener and especially took pride in his “weed-free” flower gardens and lawn. Karl was known to be a perfectionist in everything he set out to do. He was a 64 year member of both St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the KSKJ Lodge #196. He was also a 35 year member of the US Steelworkers of America Local #4108 of Aurora and its SOAR organization. He is survived by his children: Karl Oberstar Jr., of Gilbert, Lilly (Duane) Salo of Fayal Township, Rosemary (Steven) Samarzja of Hibbing and James Oberstar of Gilbert; grandchildren: Nicole (Anthony) Nemanick, Scott (Jenny) Samarzja, Ryan Salo, Amanda Samarzja, Justin (Heidi) Salo, Stacy Oberstar and Nathan (Blair Hodge) Samarzja; great grandchildren: Ashley Theien, Cassandra Roswald, Riley Samarzja, Joshua Creer-Oberstar, Wyatt Samarzja, Avery Samarzja, Mikayla Nemanick, Aiden Salo, Aili Lautigar, Nolan Samarzja and Coen Salo; siblings: Micka Likar, Ivanka Bukovec, Joza Per and Joseph “Joze” Oberstar, all of Slovenia; numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Karl and Jozefa; son Karl Jr. in Austria in infancy; wife, Maria; siblings: John “Ivan”, Mirko, Nezka and Jerca Oberstar.