Anna Hellermann

Anna A. Hellermann, age 91 of Melrose, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at the Cura Care Center in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12 p.m. Friday, January 31 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Mitchell Bechtold officiating. Inurnment will be in the parish cemetery at a later date. The Mass will be livestreamed and can be viewed on YouTube channel: Church of St. Mary Melrose. 

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Friday at the church in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Anna Agnes Herdering was born August 15, 1933 in Millwood Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to August and Theresa (Stoermann) Herdering. On Tuesday, September 7, 1954, she married Elmer Hellermann at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in St. Rosa. After their marriage, they stayed living on the family farm for five years and then purchased their own farm north of Melrose. Anna worked at the Melrose Hospital as a cook and housekeeper for 23 years. 

She was an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose where she was greeter, member of the Resurrection Choir and the Christian Mothers. She also was a member of Sts. Bernard & Elizabeth Society, Catholic United Financial, and the hospital auxiliary. Anna enjoyed volunteering at Pine Villa where she helped with BINGO and other activities.

Anna loved to travel. She made several trips to Germany to see relatives and friends. She also liked going on casino bus trips, mystery tours, and playing cards with her card groups. Anna loved to cook and bake. She enjoyed hosting parties and could whip something up quickly if anyone stopped to visit. She was always willing to lend a helping hand, whether it be making a meal, babysitting, or sewing something for missions, family or friends. 

Some of Anna’s fondest memories were made at the cabin on Long Lake. She loved it when the grandchildren stayed over. They would go fishing, enjoy fish fries, and went snowmobiling together. One of her greatest accomplishments was making homemade quilts for all of her grandchildren. Anna truly loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was so proud of her entire family.

Survivors include her children, Donald (Debbie) Hellermann of Melrose, Dale (Debbie) Hellermann of Melrose, Gary “Fritz” (Jean) Hellermann of Melrose, Denise (Steve) Rieland of Sauk Centre, and Diane (Paul) Brickweg of Alexandria; 18 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren; brothers, Alvin (Carol) Herdering, Joe (Kathy) Herdering, and Alfred (Marlene) Herdering; and sisters-in-law, Doris Herdering of St. Rosa and Bertha Herdering of Upsala.

Anna was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer “Fud” Hellermann on December 24, 2022; parents; infant son, Gary Hellermann on February 10, 1956; infant brother, Hubert Herdering; brothers, Bernard Herdering and Ambrose Herdering; and sisters and brothers-in-law, Angeline (Virgil) Arnzen and Marie (Joseph) Wielenberg.

A special thank you to the staff at the CentraCare Hospice and Cura/Pine Villa for their wonderful care they gave Anna.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s Catholic School, CentraCare Hospice, or Cura/Pine Villa.