Al Stigman

Allan Gale Stigman was called to his Heavenly Home on March 15, 2025.

Al was born on the afternoon of December 26, 1934 to John “Jack” and Ann (Entringer) Stigman at their home in Nimrod, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Hubert’s Catholic Church in Bluegrass, MN. At a very young age he had a baseball in his hand and spent many hours playing ball and exploring the Crow Wing River with his brothers and sister. Al and his siblings took “playing catch” so serious that in the winter months they would play ball inside the local town hall.

Al attended school at District 321 country school until 8th grade. He graduated in 1953 from Sebeka High School where he played baseball, basketball and football. He went on to hold random jobs and started his baseball career for Calloway. In those days, if you agreed to play baseball for a team then they would find you a job. He met his future bride Beverly Simon at a St. Patrick’s Day event. In 1957, he was drafted into the US Army, where he played baseball in Germany until his honorable discharge in 1958. Bev was waiting for him when he came home, and they married on May 21, 1960 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Perham, MN. They were blessed with four children.

Al worked for Land O’ Lakes for 37 years. He also supplemented his income for many years harvesting wild rice, mostly with his brother, Dave and son Sam. This became a passion of his.

Al was an avid and renowned baseball player with a career that spanned until he was 66 years old! He gained the nickname Long Sam due to his lanky height and insane fast curveball. He played for many teams including New York Mills, Perham (state champs in 1967), and later the Dent “Hasbeens.” His proudest moment was when he was inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014. His other passions included gardening, (often spotted planting in early spring wearing snowshoes) fishing, hunting, berry and mushroom picking, agate collecting and winemaking. He always had something to do, stories to tell and if you handed him a guitar you were sure to get a song out of him.

Al loved his Catholic Faith. He was a lover of Jesus, Mary and her Rosary. He was a faithful member of St. Stanislaus and later St. Henry’s Catholic Church, where he served on the funeral committee, and a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was also on the Board of Directors for St. James Manor.

Al was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Ann; sister Jeanette; brother Dave; daughter-in-law Katrina Stigman; and mother and father-in-law, Don and MaryAnn Simon.

He is survived and will be greatly missed by his wife Beverly and their children, Lynn (Mike) Bleichner, Luan (Scott) Larsen, Jim (Stacy) Stigman and Sam (Rebecca) Stigman; grandchildren Christopher (Abigail) Bleichner, Matthew Bleichner, Joshua (Lacey) Bleichner, Michele Bleichner, Emily Larsen, Drew Larsen, Madeline Stigman, Ethan (Savannah) Stigman, Simon Stigman, Bella Stigman, Olivia Stigman, Opal Stigman, Dezi Morales, Phoebe (Garrett) Zeglen, Shelby (Matt) Stigman, Sawyer (Kristian) Stigman, and Sienna Stigman; 10 great-grandchildren; honorary daughter Marti King; brother Dick (Patty) Stigman; sister-in-law, Delores Stigman; and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.

Special thanks to the great care of the Perham Hospital and Hospice of the Red River Valley.

“Well done, my good and faithful servant, well done”

Visitation will be 5:00-8:00 p.m. with a rosary at 6:30 and parish prayers at 7:00 on Thursday, March 20 at Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service in Perham. Visitation will resume from 10:00-11:00 a.m. followed by the funeral Mass at 11:00 on Friday, March 21 at St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Perham. Burial will be in St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in Perham.

Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com