On March 3, 2026, a truly remarkable man, Lester (Les) Francis Schrenk passed away at 102 years young. Les embodied what is meant to live every day to the fullest, right up to his last day. He made an oversized impact on the lives of so many people near and far because of his incredibly kind and gracious spirit, peppered with his quick-wit.

Lester was born near Long Prairie, Minnesota, on November 16, 1923, the youngest of three children of William and Charlotte (Wille) Schrenk. He was raised on the Schrenk family farm homesteaded by his grandfather in 1871. Lester attended grade school in a one-room schoolhouse near the farm and graduated from Long Prairie High School. Life was not easy on the farm during the Great Depression but the Schrenks were a hardworking, close, and loving family.

After the United States entered WWII, Lester wanted to serve his country like his brother 

Jerome who was fighting in the Pacific Theater. So, in 1942 on his 19th birthday, as the only son left on the farm, his parents signed-off so Lester could enlist in the Army Air Force. After he completed training, Les was sent to the American airbase in Podington, England, and assigned to the 8th Air Force. Les volunteered to be a B-17 Ball Turret Gunner with the 92nd Bomb Group/327th Bomb Squadron and began flying bombing missions into German territory.

On the 10th mission, their plane "Pot O' Gold" was so heavily damaged by a German Luftwaffe fighter, Les and the rest of the crew were forced to parachute from the burning plane into enemy territory. Les was captured immediately and sent to Stalag Luft VI, then to Stalag Luft IV in German-occupied Poland. Les was frequently tortured during his 15 months as a prisoner of war (POW).

In February 1945, with the Soviet Army closing in to Stalag Luft IV, Les and fellow POWs were forced on what became known as the German Death March. Under constant threat of being shot, the POWs were forced to march an estimated 800 miles across Poland and Germany, in freezing weather. Finally, after 86 days, the British Army liberated Les and his fellow POWs on May 2, 1945.

After a short time recovering in England, Les returned to Minnesota to continue healing from his war injuries and to start his next chapter. Soon after returning to Minnesota, Les met the love of his life, Bernice Helen Marketon at a dance. Les and Bernice married May 17, 1948 in Long Prairie. They made a wonderful life together in Edina, where they raised their daughter Virginia (Ginny) Mae. Les worked as a warehouse manager for most of his career and Bernice was an office worker for an insurance company. Les and Bernice had a marriage full of love for over 75 years.

Nearly twenty years ago, Les and Bernice moved to Friendship Village in Bloomington. Here, they made many friends among their fellow residents and staff. Lester was a regular at exercise classes in the pool and lifted weights in the community's gym. Lester and Bernice thoroughly enjoyed living in Friendship Village.

Never one to be idle, Les had many hobbies. He was an extremely talented woodcarver. He sold many of his creations, gave some to friends, and displayed others in his home. Bernice assisted Les in painting or staining some of the carvings and she also knitted and sold many blankets at craft fairs in the upper midwest alongside Les.

Lester and Bernice also shared a love of travel. They toured extensively around the world and across the US. Les often spoke of their travels and summer visits to their cabin on Lake Osakis.

In 2008, the couple traveled to Denmark to locate the 1944 crash site of Lester's B-17. With the help of Danish friends, they located pieces of Pot O' Gold, Lester's plane that crashed 64 years earlier. Later, in 2012, with the help of his Danish friends, Les arranged a meeting with Hans Muller, the German Luftwaffe pilot who shot down Lester's plane during the war. The two veterans from opposing sides of the war became fast friends and stayed in contact until Mr. Muller died.

Even after his beloved wife Bernice passed away in 2023, Lester continued to travel the country and around the world. Because of his heroic service and incredible recall of events, Lester was a sought-after speaker and was frequently invited to WWII and military events. Lester knew he had much to share about the sacrifices of service to our country, yet he always told his stories with humility. He would start many interviews by telling the interviewer, "You can ask me anything." He was not angry or bitter about the terrible treatment he received while a POW. He always told of his experiences with understanding, honesty, and being forthright. Interviews of Lester can be found on YouTube and in multiple publications.

Our American hero, Lester passed away peacefully on March 3rd, after suffering a stroke a week earlier. He was preceded in death by his wife Bernice in 2023, daughter Virginia in 2018 and parents William and Charlotte, brother Jerome (Genevieve), and sister DeVona (James) Hengemuehle. He is survived by his son-in-law Albert Ishkanian (Maryland), nieces, and nephews. He is dearly missed by family as well as hundreds of friends and admirers in Minnesota and around the world.

The funeral service for Lester is being held at Pax Christi Catholic Church, 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, Minnesota on Thursday May 7, at 11:00am with visitation starting at 10:00am. Lester will be interred at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Honor Flight Twin Cities. (PO Box 502 Lindstrom, MN 55045 or on-line at HonorFlightTwinCities.org)

Memorials may also be made in support of Pax Christi Catholic Church.

(12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347)