Larry "Larry Mike" Michael Pelzel
June 8, 1966 - February 18, 2025

Larry Mike Pelzel age 58 of Rosemount, MN passed away peacefully on February 18, 2025 at MHealth Fairview Southdale in Edina, MN. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Larry Michael Pelzel was born June 8, 1966 in Redwood Falls, Minnesota to Hilarious ("Larry") Pelzel and Stella Lanoye Neisius Pelzel.

He grew up in southwestern Minnesota and graduated from Russell-Tyler-Ruthton High School in 1984. He moved to Apple Valley, Minnesota and attended Normandale community college.

Larry met Cheri  Whetstone "in the clearance aisle at Target" in 1990 and it was true love ever since. They married on June 22, 1991. In 1999, one of Larry's proudest moments happened when Andrew was born, and Larry became a dad.

Larry worked for 25 years at Seagate Technology, and he loved his coworkers.  In fact, Larry loved people in general. He was curious about how things ticked, both people and things. He loved to troubleshoot, to figure out why your car broke down or your appliance stopped working or how to rig up some contraption that could fix your fill-in-the-blank. He enjoyed doing crafts, he was a photographer, he loved movies, he found joy in the moment. He cared for dozens of cats over his lifetime. One of his greatest passions was football, particularly the Minnesota Vikings. He loved watching it, analyzing it, talking about it. He was the commissioner of one of his many Fantasy Football leagues for decades.

Larry appreciated hearing other people's thoughts and opinions, even if they differed from his. He was always willing to consider another way to look at things, and to learn from conversations, books, and experiences.

No matter what obstacles were put in front of Larry, he found a way to get past them & did it with such a sense of optimism. Over the years, he faced many health challenges, but always put others' needs before his own. He worked hard to make sure everyone was having a good time, and he never lost his sense of humor. Even in his last days at the hospital, he would talk about the future and would joke with the nurses.

Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Larry and Stella Pelzel; sister, Betty (Neisius) Nelson; brother Patrick Neisius; in-laws, James and Judith Whetstone; grandparents, Joseph and Wilhelmina Pelzel; Uncles, Aunts, and several cousins.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 34 years, Cheri Pelzel; son, Andrew Pelzel; siblings: Bev (Norb) Blanchette, Mike (Carol) Neisius, Kathie (Ron) Welvaert, Tom Neisius, Karen (Al) Trosen; siblings-in-law: Edward Whetstone, Debra Braucks (Jason Willey); and many cousins, nieces & nephews.

A celebration of Larry's life will be held Saturday, March 1 at White Funeral home in Lakeville. Visitation begins at 10am. A short service will take place at 11am.

Per Larry's wishes, please wear your favorite Vikings attire (or something purple) to the Celebration of Life. Per Larry's orders, prepare to be tackled if you choose to wear Packers gear!

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society (benchs.org) or your local animal shelter.