Arnold Clifford Tessmer

Arnold “Arny” Tessmer, age 89 of Oakdale, MN, passed away peacefully at home with family by his side on May 12, 2026, just one week short of turning 90. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, June 1, 2026 at 9:30AM at Oak Meadows Senior Living community room, 8133 Fourth St N, Oakdale MN. Private interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery will be at a later date.

Arny was born to Clarence and Marie (Wandersee) Tessmer on May 19, 1936, growing up on farms in Blue Hill Township and Princeton before graduating from Princeton High School in 1953. He joined the Marine Corp in 1954, reaching the rank of Sargeant while stationed in San Diego, California. Returning to Minnesota in 1957, he attended the Minneapolis Business School and soon after began his climb in the business world, namely in commercial construction sales.

He met his soul mate, Katherine “Kay” Olzenak in 1958 and they married on October 24, 1959. In 1960 they built their first house in Blaine and started their family where they raised Kim, Lisa and Scott until moving to Grant Township in 1973. While in Grant, Arny made the transition from business partner to being the sole proprietor of Wall and Window in commercial construction. His work and contributions to the Twin Cities skyline and commercial buildings can still be seen today. In 1980 he returned to his farming roots and became a regional manager across Minnesota, the Dakotas and Wisconsin for VanDale Farm Equipment and could be found annually on Machinery Hill at the Minnesota State Fair. With this change came a move to Hutchinson.

In 1983, he designed and built a new home in Oakdale as he reentered the commercial construction world until he retired in 1998. Not one to slow down in retirement, they purchased a home overlooking the Mississippi River in Monticello and spent the next few years renewing and adding on to create their peaceful retirement haven. But, never one to stay in the same house for long, they downsized to Hastings in 2014 and finally joined the Oak Meadows community in Oakdale in 2019.

Some of Arny’s lifelong joys were motorcycling, woodworking, and genealogy. He started riding motorcycle in 1967, ahead of his day, and last rode in 2018. As empty nesters, Kay and Arny traveled the country with other friends on motorcycles with trips to the Rockies, California, the Ozarks, and across the Midwest. He shared his passion by taking each of his grandchildren on a ride for their 10th birthday. He also loved woodworking in his shop and could often be found there whistling to his favorite tunes. When not in his shop or on his motorcycle he spent hours researching at historical centers and volunteering at the Wright County Historical Society.

Since moving to Oak Meadows, he spent time bringing people together calling BINGO, playing harmonica at gatherings, and at the card table playing pinochle, 500, or cribbage; making friends and enjoying every hand that was dealt.

Arny loved his family very much and is survived by his wife of 67 years, Katherine “Kay” (“My Bride” as he called her); children, Kim (Jim) Winter of Eagan, MN; Lisa Bigelow of White Bear Lake, MN; and Scott (Robyn) Tessmer of Kansas City, MO; eight grandchildren: Ben, Justin, Lara, Ally, Jenae, Tori, Quin and Kayla; and four great grandchildren: Logan, Layla, Freddy and Finn. He will be greatly missed by all of us, his many friends and other extended family members as well. He was preceded in death by his father, Clarence (Gladys) Tessmer; mother, Marie Tessmer; brothers, James and Donald Tessmer; infant sister, Betty Jane; son-in-law, Jim Bigelow; and great granddaughter, Dahlia Hoffman.