Edwin Van Beck

Edwin F. Van Beck, age 91, of Greenwald, died Saturday, December 22, 2007 at the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 28 at Saint Andrew's Catholic Church in Greenwald with Rev. Tom Becker officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 8 to 10 a.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Knights of Columbus and St. Michael's Men's Society will pray at 6:30 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Edwin Van Beck was born on July 5, 1916 in Spring Hill Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Albert and Mary (Kolb) Van Beck. On June 27, 1944 he married Viola Ehresmann at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Richmond. Edwin was a farmer his entire life. He loved dark house and ice fishing, camping and the outdoors. He was an avid bicycle rider until the age of 90. He was a member of St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Greenwald, Knights of Columbus in Melrose, and the St. Michael's Men's Society.

Survivors include his children, Ervin (Diane) Van Beck of Apple Valley, Carol (Herb) Inderrieden of Melrose, Janet (Ken) Krebsbach of Slidell, Louisiana, Dennis (Lois) Van Beck of Melrose, Ann (David) Brang of Meire Grove, Sandra (Mike) Warner of Sauk Centre, Mark Van Beck of Old Jefferson, Louisiana, Ruth (Ernest) Wiener of Richmond, Paul (Judy) Van Beck of Melrose, and Albert "Bert" (Kim Dunsmoor) Van Beck of Grand Marais; 22 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Adam Van Beck of Greenwald, Monica Ehlert of Wahpeton, North Dakota, Erma Walz of Melrose, Kathrine "Kitty" Gruber of Melrose, and Reuben (Arlene) Van Beck of Cold Spring.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Viola (Ehresmann) Van Beck on February 5, 1994; daughter, Kathy Van Beck on July 9, 1989; an infant daughter in May of 1954; grandchildren, John Krebsbach on September 2, 1972, Jill Brang on August 23, 1983; sister, Beata Brang on November 23, 1962; and daughter-in-law, Lorraine Van Beck on December 17, 1999.

Serving as casket bearers will be Darin Van Beck, Steve Inderrieden, Scott Krebsbach, Marty Brang, Jesse Stich, Peter Brang, and Jacob Stich. Cross bearer will be Cheryl LaLonde and scripture bearer will be Kenneth D. Krebsbach.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Mother of Mercy Nursing Home in Albany.