Melvin Wenninger

Melvin E. Wenninger, age 78 of Sauk Centre, died Sunday, April 11, 2010 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 14 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Todd Schneider officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Parish prayers will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Melvin Emil Wenninger was born July 25, 1931 in Lafayette Township, Nicollet County, Minnesota to Frank and Sophie (Ubl) Wenninger. On May 11, 1950 he was united in marriage to MaryAnn Schmidt at St. John's Catholic Church in Searles. After their marriage, the couple made their home in New Ulm, where together they owned and operated an auto repair business. In 1979, they moved to a home on Sauk Lake, near Sauk Centre, Minnesota, where they enjoyed many years of fishing, family and friends. In Sauk Centre, they continued their family auto repair business. Melvin was a jack-of-all-trades including, electrical, plumbing, and cement work. He had a great love of mechanics and working with his hands. Along with mastering many trades, Melvin was also a great dancer, enjoyed old-time music and taught his children the polka and waltz. Deer hunting and fishing were two of his favorite hobbies. Melvin also enjoyed playing card games, especially 99 and sheephead. Melvin was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church and the Catholic Aid Society.

Survivors include his six children, David (Christine) Wenninger of Sturgeon Lake, Diana (Richard) Hacker of Winthrop, Duane (Lori) Wenninger of Sauk Centre, Donna (Ron) Portner of Rice, Denis (Dody) Wenninger of Sauk Centre, and Dondi (Susannah) Wenninger of Sauk Centre; 19 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and sisters, Loretta (Harry) Stueber of St. Paul and Darlene (James) Schmidt of New Ulm.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, MaryAnn Wenninger on February 21, 2009; brothers, Raymond, Lenard, and Vernon Wenninger.

Serving as casket bearers will be his grandchildren, Cory Portner, Nathan Wenninger, Lukas Zabel, Tyler Wenninger-Thornbloom, Sean Costello, Dacotah Wenninger, Michelle Parsons-Wenninger, and Amy Burns. Cross bearer will be his granddaughter, Melissa Frank-Wenninger and scripture bearer will be his granddaughter, Laura Hacker.