Richard Pelo

Richard J. "Duke" Pelo, age 73, of Melrose, died Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at the Melrose Area Hospital.

Memorial services will be 12 p.m. Saturday, February 16 at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Inurnment will follow at Lakeview Cemetery in Grey Eagle.

Friends may call from 11 to 12 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home in Melrose.

Richard Pelo was born May 21, 1934 in Grey Eagle Township, Todd County, Minnesota to Richard and Genevieve (Walburn) Pelo. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict from 1954 to 1956. He married Marlene Lammle on September 1, 1957. She died October 3, 1990. He later married Pat Weber on May 8, 1999. Duke was a former employee of Honeywell in Minneapolis for 37 years. After his retirement, they moved to Melrose and he began volunteering with the Senior Helping Hands with the St. Cloud Hospital. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and golfing. His pride and joy was his lake home. He was a member of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Crystal, MN and the American Legion Post 0251 in Robbinsdale and Crystal.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia "Pat" Pelo of Melrose; children, Nancy (Don) Peterson of Plymouth and Kelly (Randy) Hanson of Onalaska, WI; grandchildren, Zach, Sam, and Aaron Peterson, Santana and Andrew Hanson, and Rachel Hangman; brothers, Rod (Phyllis) Pelo of Edina and Dan (Jill) Pelo of Scituate, MA.

Duke was preceded in death by his first wife, Marlene; parents; and his best friend, Newton.Urn bearer will be Don Peterson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Michael's Hospice in Sauk Centre.