Ervin Dettler

Ervin R. "Erv" Dettler, age 80, of Melrose, died peacefully on Monday, January 4 2016 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 9 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Melrose with Rev. David Mommens officiating. Interment will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Melrose.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church.

Ervin Rudolph Dettler was born August 14, 1935 in Swanville, Minnesota to Rudolph and Hilda (Strom) Dettler. On March 2, 1957 he married Rosemary Bentley at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Swanville. Together the couple owned and operated the Belgrade Observer Newspaper for a number of years. After they sold their business, they continued working in the newspaper business at the Sauk Centre Herald and Melrose Beacon. In 1979 Erv began working at Kraft in Melrose as a boiler operator until his retirement in 1989. After retirement, he continued working various jobs. Erv started as a volunteer with the Melrose Fire Department and later became a member of the Melrose Ambulance. He was very passionate about the Melrose Ambulance; becoming coordinator in 1979 and continued serving the community for 13 years. He was an active member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church where he was an elder and on the planning committee for the existing church.

Ervin enjoyed traveling, visiting and spending time with his family, especially giving his grandchildren rides on the lawn mower. He also enjoyed hosting family reunions.

Survivors include his children, Barb (Tim) Dettler-Petermeier of Melrose, Kevin Dettler of Willmar, James (Grace) Dettler of Colorado Springs, Colorado, DeWayne "Rudy" (Peggy) Dettler of Sierra Vista, Arizona, and Cindy Imdieke of Melrose; 11 grandchildren, Travis Petermeier, Michelle Petermeier (Josh Traut), Skyler Dettler, Autumn Dettler, Adrianne Dettler, Brad MacGregor, Sarah MacGregor, Jamie (David) Leonard, Misty Maus, Dustin Maus, and Eric Imdieke; seven great-grandchildren, Cade Petermeier, Kanon Petermeier, Calvin Traut, Wyatt Traut, Everett Traut, Olive Leonard, and Hadley Leonard; sisters, Goldie Miland of Sauk Centre and Janet Koehn of Upsala; sisters and brother-in-law, Betty Hvezda of Alexandria, Frances Dahl of Osseo, Effie (Richard) Martin of Roseville, and Alfred Haagenson Jr. of Clitherall.

Ervin was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Rosemary Dettler; sister, Lorna Koehn; brothers and sister-in-law, William Gamradt, Ken Miland, Don Koehn, Melvin Koehn, Russell Dahl, Ron Hvezda, and Polly Haagenson.

Casket bearers will be Skyler Dettler, Eric Imdieke, Dustin Maus, Misty Maus, Adrianne Dettler, and Brad MacGregor. Honorary bearers will be Bill and Joyce Rausch, Betty Lahmers, Roger Paschke, and Lori Jackels.