Eldred Barthel

Eldred M."Sonny" Barthel, age 70, of Ward Springs, died Friday, February 2, 2007 at the St. Cloud Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Monday, February 5 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Ken Thielman officiating. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call Sunday from 4 to 9 p.m. and Monday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home in Melrose.

Eldred was born August 18, 1936 in Melrose, Minnesota to John and Alvina (Kunstleben) Barthel. He was united in marriage to Clarissa M. Hiltner on February 27, 1960 in St. Cloud, Minnesota. They moved to a farm in Ward Springs where he farmed dairy cows and hogs. He was employed by Franklin in St. Cloud and Jennie-O in Melrose. Eldred served in the National Guard for 6 years. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping fox, coon hunting, four-wheeling and reading western books.

Survivors include his wife, Clarissa Barthel of Ward Springs; 2 children, Lyle Barthel (Sharon) and Roxane Vogel (Tim), both of Melrose; sister, Dorothy Ferrian of Minneapolis; and 7 grandchildren, Heidi, Heather and Ryan Barthel and Matt, Missy, Adam, and Dillon Vogel, all of Melrose.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Alvina Barthel; and brother-in-law, Edward Ferrian.

Cross bearer will be Ryan Barthel. Scripture bearer will be Matthew Vogel. Casket bearers will be Bill, Jason and Steve Hiltner, Duane Kunstleben, Randy Speldrich, and Ron Haskamp.Honorary bearers will be Adam, Dillon and Melissa Vogel, and Heidi and Heather Barthel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.