Joseph Medelberg

Joseph "Joe" G. Medelberg, age 63 of Sauk Centre, died Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.

Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 7 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Rev. Todd Schneider will officiate with inurnment following in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at the church. Parish prayers will be at 5:15 p.m. Sunday evening at the funeral home.

Joe Medelberg was born January 5, 1945 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Gustaf and Louise (Sylvester) Medelberg. He graduated from Edison High School in northeast Minneapolis and began his career in the insurance business in 1963 as a mail clerk for Continental Insurance Company. On September 4, 1965 he married Diane Wheeler at St. Clement's Catholic Church in Minneapolis. The couple resided in northeast Minneapolis and Blaine and Joe continued his insurance career as an insurance sales agent. They moved to Sauk Centre in 1982 where Joe acquired one-third ownership in the insurance agency and in 1998 the agency was changed to Mitzel-Medelberg & Associates, Inc. The agency was later located in Long Prairie and Joe specialized in insurance for the Minnesota Resort Association. He retired in January of 2008.Joe was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, where he volunteered in various capacities, and was a former member of the Sauk Centre Lions Club. He served with the Sauk Centre Youth Hockey Association and was instrumental in the fundraising and development of the Civic Arena in 1993.Joe enjoyed playing poker, hunting, fishing and traveling.

Survivors include his wife, Diane (Wheeler) Medelberg of Sauk Centre; three children and their families, Eric (Kay) Medelberg and Rylee and Abbey, of St. Joseph, Rhonda (Layne) Albert and Paige and Connor, of Houston, Texas, Rashelle Camarote and Tyler and Kyle, of Plymouth; brother, Douglas (Monica) Medelberg of Jacksonville, Florida; nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Renee Grzeskowiak and Julie Judge.

Memorials donations may be directed to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 1332 N. Halsted St. Suite 201,Chicago, Illinois 60642-2642.