Walter Mumm
Walter Mumm
Walter Mumm, 96, of Benson, Minnesota, died Sunday evening, April 5, 2026, at Scandi Haven assisted living in Benson. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Benson. Visitation will continue Wednesday April 8, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. Burial will be in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Horton Township, Stevens County.
Walter Adolph Mumm was born November 16,1929 at his home farm place in Fairfield Township, Swift County, Minnesota to parents Oscar L. Mumm Jr. and Leona Wendt Mumm. The first of three children, he grew up playing with sister Audrey and brother Allen and the many cousins nearby. He walked the mile to his county school District 48 through 8th grade then went on to graduate from the West Central School of Agriculture (now the University of Minnesota, Morris campus) in 1947. Born a few weeks after the stock market crashed, Wally remembers his years growing in the 30’s fondly. He loved playing with his many cousins who were within walking distance, Sunday afternoons, birthdays and especially Christmas where he “played and sang and ate GOOD food”. His love of cards started at these family gatherings, one that continued to the end of his 96 years. - schmere, whist, peanuts, buck, pinochle, kings on the corner, rummy - if you had a deck of cards you were playing with Wally. Many stories, lessons and decisions were hashed out around the card table. Fishing with family started early in life with his Uncle Ernest Wendt. He started with bullheads in Lake Hattie and fished his whole life chasing the elusive Walleye, northern pike, sunfish, perch, salmon, halibut, trout and even the carp. Some were good for eating, some were just good for a great story. Wally grew up hunting, always eating what he shot - deer, pheasants, geese, duck, rabbits. In his later years, he continued to be a great shot protecting his garden from deer, squirrels, skunks and anything that threatened his plants or Bitsy. Church, family, hard work and food were the center of his life. He attended and was baptized and confirmed at the same place he will be buried at Zion Lutheran Church and Cemetery in Horton Township. Now just the cemetery remains where he will rest with generations of his family. Wally spent his high school years enjoying time with friends and had many stories to tell if you asked. He knew from a young boy that he would be a farmer and his parents purchased the land across the road so he would have a farm of his own someday. Not all the girls of his time wanted to marry a farmer but he met Arlys Mitchell, a friend of his sister Audrey and she wanted to be a farmer's wife. They married August 30, 1952 and settled on the land that his parents had purchased. His 67 year marriage to Arlys was the cornerstone of his life. They had six children: Jeffrey, Jerry, John, Kenneth, Sandra and Karalyn. They built a successful farming operation growing corn, soybeans, wheat, barley, flax, navy beans and a garden that would feed their growing family. They raised dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, chickens and the family pets - cats, dogs and the occasional bunny. Their success came from a great faith, optimism, teamwork and work ethic. They farmed in Swift, Chippewa and Stevens County and in their later years even had farmland in Roberts County, South Dakota. They moved off the home farm in the 80’s and built a home in Montevideo. Their perseverance served them well.
Retiring from farming in March of 1992, Wally and Arlys kept busy. They had always enjoyed traveling and they went to all the places they could in their retirement years. Alaska was first and they eventually visited most if not all of the 50 states and many places in Canada and even visited Europe, camping and exploring as they went. Son, Kenneth started a furniture business in Las Vegas and they spent many hours at “the store”. Arlys selling, Wally handling the back dock picking up furniture from California and delivery to all walks of life in Vegas. He loved to quiz the people who he delivered to about his age - a 70 year old bringing a mattress was hard for them to believe. Wally and Arlys loved exploring the West with their four-wheelers, camping and learning about agriculture in all different climates. But every summer it was home to the house they built on land in Chippewa County. An idyllic place to spend hours with their family, a growing clan of grand and great grand children. Time with grandma and grandpa meant fire by the firepit, bike rides on the county roads, walking the crops that grew around them and fishing at the lake. Memories that are held dear by all who got to share them over the years. A stubborn German, Wally stayed on the farm taking care of his beloved wife Arlys until she passed away in 2019 after 67 years of marriage. He stayed there until driving became difficult and ended his life at Scandi Haven in Benson still playing cards and walking the halls with his beloved Bitsy.
Wally was preceded in death by his parents and sister Audrey, wife Arlys and son Jerry and great granddaughter Hannah.
He is survived by brother Allen of Danvers, MN, son Jeff of Benson, MN, son John of Hancock, MN, son Kenneth of Sioux Falls, SD , daughter Sandy of Minneapolis, MN and daughter Karalyn of Reno, NV, 21 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren who will miss him dearly.
Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson is assisting the family with the arrangements.
