Rita Blommel

Rita C. Blommel, age 89 of Freeport, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at CentraCare Health Hospital in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport with Rev. Daniel Walz officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Saturday at the church in Freeport. A rosary will be prayed at 8 p.m. Friday evening at the funeral home.

Rita Catherine Rueter was born September 10, 1930 in Millwood Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Bernard and Eleanore (Hoeschen) Rueter. She attended Flowing Well Country School. Rita married Maurus Blommel on September 5, 1950 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport. The couple farmed near Freeport until their retirement in 1983, at which they moved to their new home in Freeport. Rita was a resident of Parkview for the last year. She was a homemaker and had also worked at Charlie’s Cafe and Jennie-O.

Rita was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Christian Women, and Senior Citizens. She loved to bake, along with sewing, quilting, word find puzzles, and playing cards. She participated in various card groups.

Survivors include her children, Ron (Marj) Blommel of Eagle Lake, Tom (Mary Kay) Blommel of Freeport, Gene (Marlene) Blommel of Freeport, Carol (Ron) Funk of Sauk Centre, and Brenda (Reinie) Gruber of Clear Lake, 17 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; brothers, Clarence and Joe Rueter; and sisters, Bernadette Ritter and Rosemary Ardoin.

Rita was preceded in death by her husband, Maurus Blommel on August 28, 2007; her parents; grandson, Darin Blommel; brothers, Julius and Ben Rueter; and sister, Juliana Hollermann.

Serving as casket bearers will be Pam Laing, Paula Elfering, Jennifer Lang, Lori Lemm, Dacia Deter, Sheena Black, Megan Gruber, and Jamie Gruber. Cross bearer will be Andy Blommel, scripture bearer will be Abby Larson, and statue bearer will be Austin Gruber. Gift bearers will be Mike Elfering and Mark Elfering. Readers will be Russ Funk and Tina Gruber. Reading petitions and the eulogy will be Sherry Eveslage and Leah Trierweiler. Servers will be Josie Eveslage, Grant Eveslage, and Nathan Lang.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Sacred Heart School.