Mengis Funeral Home

Milton R. Sherburne, 85, of St. Paul, formerly of Mabel, died Friday, January 5, 2024 at the St. Anthony Park Home.

Milton was born February 4, 1938 on the family farm near Mabel, Minnesota to Merten and Fannie (Watkins) Sherburne.  He graduated from the Mabel High School in Mabel, received his Bachelor Degree from Hamline University, and his Master's Degree from Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin.  

Milton taught in high schools in North Dakota and Montana before moving to the Twin Cities and opening a landscape business. He later worked as a groundskeeper at Hennepin County Medical Center for many years until his retirement in 2003.  Milt was proud to serve as a union steward for Local 977 and was active in union affairs.

Milt loved dogs, horses, walks, history, reading biographies of U.S. Presidents, visits with family, sharing family picture albums, and travel.  He loved his morning coffee and daily newspapers, always including the comics and crossword puzzles. Milt ran over seven marathons in his forties, took up horseback riding lessons in his fifties, and learned to drive a motorhome in his sixties.

Milton suffered a stroke with multiple complications in October, 2016, after which he resided at St. Anthony Park Home in St. Paul until his death.

Milt was preceded in death by his parents, Merten and Fannie Sherburne, and siblings Francis Gorham, Myrtle Odegarden, Alma Sherburne, Nola Newman, Helen Eide, Darol Sherburne, Priscilla Thompson, Neva Opsahl, Marvin Sherburne, and Zelda Sagdalen.

Milton is survived by Kevin Lovejoy, his domestic partner of over 36 years, dear friend Nancy Gallo, and many nieces and nephews including Debbie Tingesdal, Roxanne Shefelbine, Cindy Zafft, Peggy Williams, Terry Sagdalen, Alan Sagdalen, Paul Sagdalen, Ross Crawford, Dan Crawford, and Lindsay Opsahl who Milt was especially close to.