Doris Peschel

Doris Evelyn Peschel of Alamo, Texas, and Melrose, Minnesota, joined her beloved husband, Gordon, in eternal rest with her Heavenly Father, October 25, 2010. Always young at heart, she was 95 years old when she passed away peacefully at her home in Alamo, TX with her children, Joe and Joan at her side.

Those that knew her well will be glad to know that she died with her red lipstick on. The last week of her life she was gently cared for by her children and her granddaughter, Alicia Ann John.Doris was born in 1915 on a farm near Wheaton, MN, to Otto and Leona (Johnson) Krenz.

She graduated from Wheaton High School. Determined not to spend her life on the farm, she took some business courses after high school. She landed a job with Minnesota Utilities, and in August, 1941, she was asked to open an area office in Grey Eagle. There she met this handsome young man with dark brown wavy hair. They had a whirlwind romance and were married on Feb. 14, 1942, while Gordon was home for a short furlough after having enlisted in the U.S. Navy to serve in World War II.

Doris maintained and expanded Gordon's Peschel Hardware store while he was in the service. Doris and Gordon were in the retail hardware business a total of 35 years, first with Peschel Hardware in Grey Eagle (1940-1965) and then G & R Hardware in Melrose until 1975. Doris also taught high school for a year during the war years. Gordon and Doris had numerous businesses including Laundromats in Grey Eagle and Melrose and a mobile home park in Waite Park, MN. With a sparkling smile and a love for bright colors, Doris never met a person she didn't like and rarely met one who didn't like her. She was young at heart and always felt one should enjoy life to the fullest. She loved cooking, baking, entertaining, and playing cards and Scrabble. She was well known for her lemon meringue pies and lefse (a Norwegian specialty).

Doris was a charter member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Post 547, in Grey Eagle, and served in several officer positions including President. She was also a member of the Melrose American Legion Auxiliary. Additionally, she served as President of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Melrose. She organized the Eager Eagles 4-H Club of Grey Eagle and served as a leader for many years.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose and Resurrection Catholic Church in Alamo.

Doris is survived by her son, Joseph Weston Peschel and wife Nancy; daughter Joan Lee Hanak and husband Frank; four grandchildren: Francis Chad Hanak and wife Evelyn Baldwin, Alicia Ann Hanak John and husband Craig, Carol Lee Peschel Eskay and husband Mark, and Weston Peschel; two great-grandchildren: Sara Evelyn and Georgia Ann Baldwin-Hanak; sister, Marjorie Sullivan; sister-in-law Loretta Peschel Gensch; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Gordon Joseph Peschel, who passed away in 1993; her parents Otto Albert Krenz and Leona Geneva Johnson Krenz; brothers Dudley and Waldemar, and sisters Fern Krenz, Wanda Drose, and Clarice Turtle.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Melrose, MN, with Father Ken Thielman officiating. Interment will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery in Grey Eagle, MN.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. A rosary will be prayed at 6 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7 p.m. Friday evening.

Memorial Contributions may be made to The Hemachromatosis Foundation or the Foundation for Fighting Blindness.