Theodore Trutna

Theodore C. "Ted" Trutna, age 81 of Melrose died Tuesday, October 21, 2003 at St. Michael's Hospital in Sauk Centre.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 am on Friday, October 24 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Vincent Lieser officiating. Inurnment will be in the parish cemetery on Saturday, October 25.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 pm on Thursday and from 8 to 11 am on Friday at Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be at 7 pm on Thursday evening.

Ted Trutna was born on February 24, 1922 in Silver Lake, Minnesota to Frank and Antonette (Korista) Trutna. He was united in marriage to Dolores Luskey on May 25, 1944 in Grey Eagle, Minnesota. Prior to moving to Melrose in 1967 Ted owned and operated Trutna Trucking in Sauk Centre. He was a police officer in Melrose for 12 years. After retiring from the police department, he worked for Meyer Construction and later at Kraemer Enterprises. In 1980 he was elected Mayor of Melrose. Ted was a member at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose and the Meadowlark Golf Course. Ted loved fishing and hunting, especially deer hunting. He enjoyed woodworking, golfing, and spending the winter months in Alamo, Texas.

Survivors include his wife, Dolores Trutna of Melrose; children, Tom Trutna and his wife, Pat of Sauk Centre, Dianne Yanish and her husband, Ron of Rochester, Mary Steele and her husband, Curt of Columbus, Ohio, Cheryl Vidoni and her husband, Joe of Peoria, Illinois, Rick Trutna of Sunnyvale, California, Sandy Coudray and her husband, Dave of Minnetonka, Kathy Hinton of Berlin, Wisconsin, Mark Trutna and his wife, Ledi of Austin, Texas, Deb Wickers of Garland, Texas, Pat Nelsen and her husband, Todd of New Ulm; 21 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren; sister, Lenore Rynerson of Nashua, New hampshire.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Nettie Trutna; brothers, Lloyd and Harvey Trutna; and sister, Dorothy Hakel.

Serving as casket bearers will be Ken and Josh Yanish, Todd Trutna, Tom Hinton, Saundra Lovelace and Jeremy Coudray. Serving as cross bearer will be Meghan Steele and Leah Nelsen will be the scripture bearer.

Honorary bearers will be Eddie Middendorf, Joe Berscheid, Herman Westendorf, John Faber, Hank Westerhaus, Mike Braegelmann, Gilbert Klaphake and Dick Van Beck.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.