Norbert Wessel

Norbert "Norby" Wessel, age 86, of Sauk Centre, died after a long battle with cancer on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at the CentraCare Health Hospital in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 8 at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Interment will follow in the parish cemetery with military honors by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

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 Sauk Centre. Parish prayers will be at 6 p.m. Monday evening.

Norbert Wessel was born June 28, 1927 in Sauk Centre, Minnesota to August and Mary (Austing) Wessel. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict where he drove a tank. On August 30, 1960 he married Lorraine "Mickey" Fiedler at St. Alexius Catholic Church in West Union. The couple had a dairy farm east of Sauk Centre; retiring in 2006. He was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Sauk Centre and the American Legion Post 67.

Norby enjoyed driving tractor, making nativity mangers, fishing, watching the MN Vikings, and most of all, playing cards with his grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife, Lorraine "Mickey" Wessel of Sauk Centre; children, Pam (Tom) Koppelman of Melrose, Tom Wessel of Sauk Centre, Sharon Messer (significant other, Mike Hatlestad) of Sauk Centre, Mona (Bill) Marthaler of New Munich, and Tina (Jerry) Kulzer of Sauk Centre; grandchildren, Nicole, Jamie, Justin, Cory, Eric, Jena, Heidi, Shawn, and Amanda; great-grandchildren, Jace and Karsten; sisters and brothers, Bertha Theisen, Hildegard (Al) Primus, Delbert Wessel, Robert Wessel, and Greg Wessel.

Norby was preceded in death by his parents; son, Marvin Wessel; great-grandson, Easton Chalich; brother and sisters, Cyril Wessel, Valeria Walters, Helen Jenc, and Jeanette Derichs.

Serving as casket bearers will be Jamie Messer, Justin Messer, Cory Messer, Shawn Kulzer, Eric Marthaler, and Heidi Chalich. Cross bearer will be Nicole Koppelman. Honorary bearers will be Bill Wessel, Elmer Von Wahlde, Ray Von Wahlde, Allen Gamradt, Bob Middendorf, Dennis Primus, Arnie Soenneker, Virgil Niehaus, and Leo Wiener.