Luella "Lou" Middendorf

Luella M. “Lou” Middendorf, age 90 of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Saturday, January 18, 2025 at Fairway Pines Assisted Living in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, January 24 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church.

Luella Mary Leukam was born May 9, 1934 in Grove Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Anton and Hilda (Lieser) Leukam. She was the youngest in her family and was the only one of her family to graduate from Melrose High School. Prior to marriage, Lou worked for Dr. Kuhlmann in Melrose. She was united in marriage to Joseph Middendorf on June 14,1956 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Melrose. After retirement from helping on the farm and raising her family, Lou worked at Web Printing.

She was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre and was a member of the Christian Mothers. She loved her kids, grandkids, and being Grandma Lou. Lou enjoyed bowling, playing cards and BINGO, and loved being active outdoors where she enjoyed gardening, shoveling snow, and mowing the lawn. She also enjoyed traveling to Arizona with Joe. Her favorite recipe was her famous peanut caramel bars.

Survivors include her children, Barb (Mark) Massmann of Long Prairie, Ron (Cindy) Middendorf of Melrose, Paul (Bonnie) Middendorf of Browerville, Kurt (Amy) Middendorf of Long Prairie, Keith (Jennifer) Middendorf of Sauk Centre, Jeff (Tina) Middendorf of Sauk Centre, and Lisa (Steve) Goerdt of Melrose; daughter-in-law, Denise Middendorf of Long Prairie; 25 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren with one great-great-grandchild on the way; sister, Alice Klaphake of Melrose; sister-in-law, Irene Leukam; and brother-in-law, Leander Weirens.

Luella was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph Middendorf on December 22, 2021; son, Glen Middendorf; grandson, Dustin Middendorf; parents; brother and sisters, Ralph Leukam, Delma Gruber, and Esther Weirens.