Ted Earl, 54, Owatonna

Ted Joseph Earl, 54, of Owatonna, passed away peacefully on June 29, 2025, after a long chronic illness.

Ted was born on Jan. 12,1971, in Austin to Eloise (Lou) Bjork Earl Techau and Joseph Earl.

Ted was raised in Owatonna and graduated from Owatonna High School. He attended college in Arizona for a short time but returned home and went into construction. Ted was a man of many talents and as they say, “the master of none”; however, he was a skilled tradesman and could fix just about anything.

He mainly worked as a home builder and contractor, although he was also employed by Viracon, Gandy, and Southern MN Drilling. He was always the guy his friends called upon when they needed a hand with a project or heck, a whole new roof! Most often he was paid in friendship and, of course, beer.

Prior to Ted’s illness, he enjoyed Nascar, Vikings football, four wheeling and was a long-time member of the Rochester Rough Riders four wheeling club. He also enjoyed many, many backyard bonfire get-togethers with friends.

Ted met the love of his life, Julie, when she decided she needed to “kiss on someone” and Ted was nominated by his best friend, Julie’s brother, Tim (Whitey). After that meeting, they were together for 17 years, which beat all bets on how long Ted and Julie would last by at least 16 years and 9 months. Luckily, Ted met someone even more stubborn than him who saw the sweeter side of Ted, rather than the ornery “old man” that he liked to flash at others. Ted was loved by little people and old people and was tolerated by the rest!

Ted is survived by his brother, Mike (Joyce) Earl; his “spouse-ish”, Julie Klein Jacobs; Julie’s children: Cameron Jacobs (Marisa Schultz), Taylor Jacobs (Jade Stoltman), Collin Jacobs, and Patrick (Sydney) Klein; six grandbabies who Papa Ted adored: Adon, Lincoln, Elliott, Jasper, Rosie and Jameson; and two nephews, Thomas and Joseph Earl.

Ted was preceded in death by his beloved mother, Eloise Techau and father, Joseph Earl.

Visitation will be from 4-6 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 2025, at Brick-Meger Funeral Home, 1603 Austin Road, Owatonna, followed by a Memorial Service at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorials can be made to Toys for Tots. Ted enjoyed, when he was able to, fill the Toys for Tots donation boxes at Gandy anonymously. When he was asked what he wanted for Christmas, he told people to just donate to Toys for Tots instead of giving him a gift. For more information or to leave an online message of condolence, go to www.megercares.com.