Loretta Rieland

Loretta E. Rieland, age 88 of Melrose, died Friday, March 8, 2013 at the Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 12 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Christian Mothers, St. Elizabeth's Society, and the Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary will pray at 5 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 7 p.m. Monday evening at the funeral home.

Loretta Eleanor Welle, the youngest of ten children, was born May 22, 1924 in Spring Hill, Minnesota to Anton and Apollonia (Schoenberg) Welle. She was raised on a small farm near Spring Hill. She married Wilfred Rieland on November 9, 1944 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. She was a loving mother; faithful to her "boys" and their families. She cherished moments with each of them singing, baking cookies, time spent at Birch Lake, dressing up, and hosting overnights. In addition to raising her four boys, Loretta worked in food service for the Melrose Public Schools and cleaned area businesses. She loved baking and often shared her peanut brittle, caramel rolls, and cookies with others. Loretta will be remembered for her generosity, her zest for life, and her commitment to her family and faith. In later years her memory faded, but she never lost her sense of humor or her kind and loving spirit.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose, Christian Mothers, St. Mary's Mission Society, St. Elizabeth's Society, and the Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary.

Survivors include her sons, Gary (Katie) Rieland of St. Louis Park, Michael (Mary) Rieland of Melrose, and Mark (Lou) Rieland of Baraboo, Wisconsin; eight grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; and daughter-in-law, Shirley Rieland of Melrose.

Loretta was preceded in death by her husband, Wilfred Rieland on June 3, 1971; parents; son, Jack Rieland; and siblings, Lonie Kraemer, Edwin Welle, Alvin Welle, Tony Welle, Joe Welle, Merena Stroeing, Clarence Welle, Alma Jacobs, Della Loxtercamp, and infant sister, Marie Welle.

Serving as casket bearers will be Ryan Rieland, Matthew Rieland, Paul Rieland, Kristen Esposito, John Rieland, and Eric Rieland. Serving as cross bearer will be Meghan Brown and scripture bearer will be Gretchen Flynn. Gift bearers will be Meghan Brown, Kristen Esposito, and Gretchen Flynn. Lectors will be Shari Rieland and Emily Rieland and petitions will be read by Emily Rieland.

A special thank you to the staff at CentraCare and Pine Villa for their kind and loving care given to Loretta.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Pine Villa Pavilion Fund or the St. Mary's Endowment Fund.