Jim Sukalski

James J. Sukalski, age 85 of Blue Earth passed away on Friday, July 17, 2026, at UHD Blue Earth in Hospice Care. Visitation will take place at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth from 5-7pm Monday, July 27th, and continue an hour prior to the 11:00am Mass of Christian Burial at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth with Fr. Jeff Dobbs officiating, on Tuesday, July 28th. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Blue Earth.

James (“Jim”), born on May 1, 1941, was the first of four children born to Joseph Sukalski and Leona (Shumski) Sukalski of East Chain, MN. He graduated from East Chain High School in 1959. He then followed his family and moved to Elmore Township just south of the Blue Earth Airport to begin his 50+ years farming with his dad, Joe, and later, brother, Allen, after he returned from service in the US Navy.

At a rare dance he attended, Jim happened to meet the woman he would spend the next 60 years of his life with. On October 2, 1965, Jim was united in marriage to Ilene Ann (Reindl) at St. Theodore’s Catholic Church in Albert Lea, MN. Together, they raised three children.

Jim loved sports. After he “outgrew” playing himself, he had his family watching the Twins, Vikings, and even All-Star Wrestling until his kids and grandkids were the ones he’d favor to watch. He also developed a passion for watching sprint car dirt track racing and traveling with his youngest brother, Scott, to the races in Knoxville, Iowa.

Jim also had a passion for new innovations. From building a backyard above ground swimming pool using rings from a grain bin, to using a motorized bean walker, then on to a bean bar (as kids got older and busier), to being one of the first to try out the new “satellite dish”, and later, wind energy, as he fought to put up a privately owned turbine on the farm, (no small fete being so close to the flight path to the airport!) And lastly, solar.

Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Leona Sukalski, and in-laws, Ivan and Arlene Reindl, and brothers-in-law, Craig Glenn and Mark Johnson.

Jim is survived by his wife, Ilene, and children: Troy (Christine) Sukalski of LeRoy, MN, Tara (Joel) Rauenhorst of Easton, MN, and Clark Sukalski, of St. Peter, MN. And six grandchildren: Rachel, Cassie, and Kyle Rauenhorst, and Stephanie, Joe, and Kenric Sukalski. Siblings; Allen (Joanne) Sukalski, Rose Marie Johnson, Scott (Lisa) Sukalski, brother in laws, Nick Reindl, and Doug (Darnell) Reindl and many wonderful nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend special thanks to St. Croix Hospice, Baywood Home Care, and UHD Hospice for their wonderful care. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.