Marie Merten-Vangstad

Marie Merten-Vangstad, age 79 of Sauk Centre, died surrounded by her loving family Monday, March 27, 2006 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 30 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre. Rev. Todd Schneider will officiate with interment following in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and 8 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre. Sauk Centre Seniors will pray at 4 p.m. followed by parish prayers at 5:15 p.m., VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries at 7 p.m., Eagles Auxiliary at 7:30 p.m. and Christian Mothers at 8 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Marie Merten-Vangstad was born June 18, 1926 in West Union, Minnesota to Joseph and Mary (Botzet) Marthaler. She was a life long resident of Sauk Centre. On May 30, 1947 she married Virgil Merten at St. Alexius Catholic Church in West Union. The couple owned and operated Mert's Sinclair Service Station from 1961 to 1969. Marie also provided day care in her home for over 20 years. Virgil died on February 1, 1989. Marie married Orville Vangstad on October 3, 1992 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre.She was very active in the community and in organizations she belonged to, as she loved to be with people. She was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church, Christian Mothers and Sauk Centre Seniors. She was also a member and past president of the Sinclair Lewis Aerie 3847 Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary and a member and former officer of the American Legion Post 67 Auxiliary and Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 Auxiliary.Marie enjoyed her daily morning walks, loved to cook, wrote in her journal daily, loved to dance, enjoyed traveling and decorating her house and yard for the seasons and holidays.

Survivors include her husband, Orville Vangstad of Sauk Centre; five children, Terry (Ruth) Merten, Mary Kay (Jerry) Meier and Phil (Barb) Merten, all of Sauk Centre, Tom (Deb) Merten of Spicer and B.J. (Lynne) Merten of Bloomington; eight step-children, Diane (Dick) Trisko of Rochester, Patty Abbott and Debbie(Jeff) Callaghan of Alexandria, Bob (Karen) Vangstad of Osakis, Terry (Sandy) Vangstad of Fargo, North Dakota, Susie (Joe) Ruh of Big Lake, Lori (Doug) Dewey of Eden Prairie and Becky (Derek) Maffei of Buffalo; 14 grandchildren; 19 step-grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; and seven step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Virgil Merten; infant sons, David and Donald; twin infant grandchildren, David and Danielle; sisters and brothers, Crescenthia Johnson, Rose Illies, Catherine Moineau, Joseph, Al, Vincent, George, David and Jimmy Marthaler.

Serving as casket bearers will be Steven, Dan, Kris, Matt, Zach, Ben and Jeff Merten and Jeremy Meier. Cross bearer will be Jamie Merten and scripture bearer will be Jessica Merten. Honorary bearers will be Richard and Monica Schulzetenberg, Ernie and Erva Jensen, Leroy and Shirley Sukke, Will and Gloria Otte and family, John and Dorothy Sells, Marge Schwinghamer, Vic and Lorrayne Traut, Shirley Schaefer and Sid Glesson, Harland and Marie Tenhoff. Lectors will be Brian Abbott and Susie Ruh, petitions will be read by Kristi Sabrowsky, gift bearers will be Alyssa, Jenni and Michelle Merten and Eucharistic Minister will be Derek Maffei.