Verena Thielen

Verena K. Thielen, age 95 of Melrose, died Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at the Pine Villa Care Center in Melrose, Minnesota.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11a.m. Saturday, January 22 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich with Rev. Roger Klassen, O.S.B. officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the church in New Munich. Parish prayers will be held at 5 p.m. followed by Saint Anne's Christian Women and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Aid Council at 7 p.m. Friday evening at the church.

Verena Katherine Schulzetenberg was born January 22, 1915 in Allerston, Alberta, Canada to Bernard and Rose (Welle) Schulzetenberg. On October 25, 1939 she married Raymond Thielen at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich. The couple farmed east of Melrose. After Ray's death in 1981, Verena continued to live on the farm until she moved to town in 1991 and later to Pine Villa in 2006.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in New Munich, St. Anne's Christian Women, and the Immaculate Conception Catholic Aid Council. Verena enjoyed baking, canning, cooking, gardening, and taking care of her family.

Survivors include her children, Norman (Dee) Thielen of Mounds View, Dennis Thielen of Melrose, Paul (Mary) Thielen of Melrose, Marilyn (Dave) Weber of Melrose, Marvin (Judy) Thielen of Melrose, and Leon Thielen of Melrose; 15 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Ed (Lorraine) Schulzetenberg of Melrose, Joe (Jean) Schulzetenberg of Freeport; Evelyn (Ken) Cook of Bellevue, Washington, Doris (Cyril) Braegelmann of Melrose, and Alice (Al) Mayers of Eagan; sisters-in-law, Lydia Schulzetenberg of Melrose and Marion Schulzetenberg of Melrose; and brother-in-law, Joe Berscheit of Melrose.

Verena was preceded in death by her husband, Raymond Thielen on June 9, 1981; parents; nine month old twins, Lois Thielen on March 6, 1952 and Lyle Thielen on March 13, 1952; sisters and brothers, Caroline Mareck, Urban Schulzetenberg, Roman Schulzetenberg, Rita Hinnenkamp, and Frances Berscheit.

Serving as casket bearers will be Brandon English, Chad Thielen, Tony Weber, Mark Lund, Jennifer Middendorf, Rhonda Carrico, Laura Haehn, and Stacy Thielen. Cross bearer will be Janelle Dees and scripture bearer will be Sara Janorschke. Mass servers will be Brian Thielen and Verena Weber. Lectors will be Kelly Thielen and Lori Burg. Special music will be by Missy Winter.