Alcuin (Al) Joseph Bruggenthies, of Rochester, passed away September 11th, 2026, surrounded by his children. He is now at peace and reunited with his wife, Marge, and son, Gary.
Al was born in Millwood Township, MN, on August 14th, 1935, to Frank and Mary (Toenyan) Bruggenthies. He was the youngest of eight siblings who Frank raised after Mary passed away in 1942. He attended Upsala High School. Al served in the U.S. Army in 1954, spending time at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with the 11th Airborne Division’s Airborne School.
He met Marge (Margaret) Muellner, who was from Grey Eagle, MN, in Minneapolis, and they married at St. Joseph’s Church in Grey Eagle, on June 22, 1957.
Al and Marge began their married life in Minneapolis, where they welcomed their first three children. In October 1962, they packed up their young family and moved to Rochester. What began as a new chapter became home – three more children, lifelong friendships, a family business, and more than six decades of memories followed.
In 1979, Al and Marge opened Al’s Specialty Marine, where they sold and serviced boats and snowmobiles until 2001, when they sold the successful business to their sons Joe, John, and Greg. Eventually, their grandson, Ryan, would also join his uncles in ownership, making Al’s a three generation family business.
Al had three passions which often intertwined: his family, spending time outdoors fishing and hunting, and, most famously, his “need for speed.” He raced boats and snowmobiles all over the Midwest, earning him prize money, countless trophies, and many titles – including “The Legend” and “Grandpa Zoom.” His favorite days were spent souping up a motor at the shop, relaxing at the cabin on Big Swan, hunting at “the woods” in Lanesboro, or fishing at Lake of the Woods in Canada.
He was devoted to his faith and a member of St. Pius X church since 1963.
He is survived by five children: Joe (CJ), Julie (George), Glenda (Tom), John (Cindy) and Greg (Denise); daughter in law Sharon; sixteen grandchildren: Ryan (Val), Colin (Krista), Dan (Mia), Bill, Rob, Tom (Olivia), Laura (Matt), Ben, Jordan, Gabrianne, Ashley, Jesse (Sophia), Steven (Taylir), Lauren (Mitch), Kaitlyn, Jack; and eight great grandchildren in Minnesota and Florida.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 1315 12th Ave. NW, Rochester. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, at St. Pius X Catholic Church. Burial will be at Grandview Memorial Gardens.
Memorials can be made to the Ronald McDonald House.
Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Bruggenthies family. To share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-