Verena Wegleitner

Verena M. Wegleitner, age 96 of Melrose, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the CentraCare Nursing Home in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday, November 7 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating and Rev. Ken Thielman concelebrating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 5 p.m. followed by the Christian Mothers at 7 p.m. Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

Verena Marie Heinen was born January 6, 1917 in Millwood Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Henry and Elizabeth (Poepping) Heinen. She was united in marriage to Anton "Tony" Wegleitner on November 23, 1937 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in St. Rosa. Verena and Tony farmed north of Freeport until their retirement in January of 1978. Verena was a census taker for the Melrose School District and also worked at the St. Francis Church Bazaar where she was in charge of making the dressing.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose and the Christian Mothers. Verena enjoyed quilting, crocheting and knitting. In her younger years, she liked to garden and travel to Washington with her aunts.

Survivors include her husband, Anton "Tony" Wegleitner of Melrose; children, Leander (Pat) Wegleitner of Sun Lakes, Arizona, Julius "Joe" (Carol) Wegleitner of Burtrum, Tony, Jr. (Kerry) Wegleitner of Coon Rapids, David (Linda) Wegleitner of Grey Eagle, Dale (Joan) Wegleitner of Melrose, Darrell (Anette) Wegleitner of Freeport, Deborah (LeRoy) Sand of Albany, and Denise Wegleitner of Portland, Oregon; 17 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter; sisters, Evelyn Muellner of Melrose, Florence Tschida of Grey Eagle, Lourdine Berscheit of Grey Eagle, and Mildred (Ambrose) Muellner of St. Cloud; and daughter-in-law, Peggy Wegleitner of Grey Eagle.

She was in preceded in death by her parents; son, Kenneth Wegleitner on September 3, 2011; great-grandsons, William Richard Karbo II and Carson David Sand; brothers and sisters, Raymond Heinen, Delores Toeben, Edward Heinen, Marcella Ostendorf, Jeanette Berscheit, and Harvey Heinen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Jim Wegleitner, Alan Wegleitner, Jason Sand, Jay Wegleitner, Shannon Wegleitner, and Brian Wegleitner. Cross bearer will be Bonnie Kluempke and scripture bearer will be Kayla Wegleitner.