Lambert Rolfzen

Lambert "Fatz" Rolfzen, age 89, of Melrose died Tuesday, May 9, 2006 at the Melrose Area Hospital.

Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, May 15 at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Melrose with prayers by Deacon Ernie Kociemba.

Lambert "Fatz" Rolfzen was born January 3, 1917 in Melrose to Henry and Bernodina (Grumke) Rolfzen. He was the fourth of eleven children. Father Julig united Fatz and Lorraine Braun in marriage on October 4, 1941 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose. In 1953 he moved his family to California where he worked for General Motors in Van Nuys, California for 28 years. Fatz loved baseball and talking with those who remembered him when he played. He often told stories of his playing days with his late brother, Clemons "Whitey" Rolfzen and Arthur "Jackson" Rolfzen. He said they were all born before their time. One particular clipping of Fatz tells of when he pitched a double header against Osakis. First game was a no hitter and won both games and a home run that cleared the Sauk River. Fatz was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose and the Loyal Order of Moose. Fatz and Lorraine moved back to Melrose in 1985. He was a wonderful husband and father. We will miss you dad and you'll be in our hearts forever.

Survivors include his wife, Lorraine of Melrose; daughter, Cheryl Rose Rolfzen and close friend, Sandy Jo Garner of Irvine, CA; sons, Lambert Peter Rolfzen and his wife, Martha of Omaha, NE, Thomas Donald Rolfzen of Lake Bay, WA, Paul Sylvester Rolfzen and his wife, Alice of Melrose; seven grandchildren, Peter, Dawn, and Shawn of Omaha, NE, Chantel of Lake Bay, WA, Michael of St. Cloud, Michelle of Kelso, WA, and Mary Rose of Albany; adopted granddaughter, Shon Meikle of Weldon, CA; sisters, Hildegard Ramacher of Minneapolis and Lorraine Humbert of Hastings; brothers, Boniface Rolfzen of Hibbing and Arthur Rolfzen of New Munich.

Fatz was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Bernodina Rolfzen; brothers, Hubert, Edward, Clemons, and Harold; sisters, Celia and Viola.