Maurice "Maurie" Michels

Maurice J. “Maurie” Michels, age 74 of Belgrade, passed away after a 10-week battle with pancreatitis on Thursday, January 28, 2021 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, February 2 at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Elrosa with Rev. Jeremy Theis officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery with military honors by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre.

Maurice Joseph Michels was born July 21, 1946 in Melrose, Minnesota to Math and Marcella (Korte) Michels. He served in the United States Marine Corp from 1965 to 1968 during the Vietnam War where he received a Purple Heart. He was united in marriage to Janet Boecker on June 27, 1970. Maurie loved driving truck. He drove for Nelson Leasing of Willmar and Speldrich Feeder Pigs of Elrosa. Maurie and Jan purchased Speldrich Feeder Pigs and owned and operated it as Elrosa Feeder Pigs. He later drove truck for  Dale Melin Feeder Pigs of Sauk Centre and Kane Transport of Sauk Centre.

Maurie enjoyed buying and restoring tractors, camping, traveling, and teaching his grandchildren new things with some teasing and a lot of patience.

He was a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Elrosa and Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 of Sauk Centre.

Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Janet of Belgrade; children, Brian (Missy) of Belgrade, Bradley of Minneapolis, Jason of Belgrade, and Darin of Belgrade; grandchildren, Rachel, Braeden, Nathan, and Jace Michels; brothers and sisters, Matthew of Paynesville, Marvin (Mary Lou) of Ham Lake, Mavis Wegner of Paynesville, Mary Sunder of Willmar, Mark (Denise) of Elrosa, Marson (Gwen) of Melrose, Melvin (special friend, Sandy) of Paynesville, Marla (Randy) Hartmann of Paynesville, and Marilyn (Linus) Ritter of Grey Eagle.

Maurie was preceded in death by his parents, Math and Marcella Michels; son Greg Michels; infant brother, Myran Michels; sister-in law, Carol Michels; and brothers-in-law, Arnie Wegner and Richard Sunder.