Florian Schmitz

Florian Schmitz, age 83, of Sauk Centre, died Friday, August 17, 2012 at Lakewood Reflections Hospital in Staples, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, August 20 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Revs. Andrew Marthaler and James Statz will concelebrate with interment following in Calvary Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 5 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Florian Schmitz was born March 29, 1929 in Richmond, Minnesota to Alois and Mary (Kammers) Schmitz. The family moved to Sauk Centre in 1944 and he farmed with his father and worked as a mechanic for the Co-op Oil Station. He married Rosella Beilke on November 29, 1974 at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. The couple made their home in Sauk Centre and Florian was a truck driver for Gebeke Transport, Loxtercamp Oil and Stormy Oil. He retired in 1996. The couple recently moved to Melrose.Florian enjoyed biking, fishing, tinkering and fixing things, as well as playing with his grandchildren.

He was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church and the Catholic Order of Foresters.Survivors include his wife, Rosella "Rosie" Schmitz of Sauk Centre; three sons, Aaron (Kim) Schmitz of Melrose, Kris Schmitz of St. Cloud and Steve (fiance, Chandra Busse) of Sauk Centre; three grandchildren, Stephanie, Derek and Jadyn Schmitz; eight brothers and sisters, Richard (Lenore) Schmitz, Edna (Leonard) Orth, Dorothy Trisko, all of Sauk Centre, Donald (Julie) Schmitz and Alois (Lorraine) Schmitz of Anoka, Mary (Dan) Weber of Albany, Susan Dirkes of Osakis and Diane Schmitz of St. Cloud; sister-in-law, Betty Schmitz of Mesa, Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Leon Schmitz; brothers-in-law, Jerry Dirkes and Raphael Trisko.

Serving as casket bearers will be Gregg Trisko, Jamie, Tom and Jeremy Dirkes, Mike Weber and Paul Schmitz. Cross bearer will be Derek Schmitz and scripture bearer will be Stephanie Schmitz. Lector will be Jean Sand and gift bearers will be Sue Dirkes, Mary Weber and Diane Schmitz.