Viola Berscheid

Viola E. Berscheid, age 92 of Melrose, died peacefully, surrounded by her family on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at her daughter’s home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, October 5 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Melrose with Rev. Marvin Enneking officiating and Deacon Ernie Kociemba assisting. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church in Melrose. Parish prayers will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Viola Elizabeth Ostendorf was born April 17, 1930 in Birchdale Township, Todd County, Minnesota to Bernard and Mathilda (Woeste) Ostendorf. She was united in marriage to Clarence Berscheid on October 6, 1953 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grey Eagle. Viola farmed with Clarence near Grey Eagle until 1990 and while doing so, she also helped with the altar linens at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grey Eagle. After retiring from farming in 1990, Viola worked at Ernie’s Jubilee in Melrose for many years in the bakery.

She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose and the Christian Women. Viola enjoyed crocheting, sewing, and doing jigsaw puzzles.

Survivors include her children, Eileen (Roger) Keniston of Brooklyn Park, Bernadette (Vince) Wielenberg of Grey Eagle, Lois (Greg) Brunn of Rochester, Bonnie Holthaus (Dean Schaefer) of Watkins, Beverly (Jerry) VanHavermaet of Sauk Centre, and Joyce (Ken) Beuning of Andover; 22 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren; and sister, Lorraine Folta of Grey Eagle.

Viola was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence Berscheid on December 29, 2002; daughter, Betty Kracht; granddaughter, Sarah Kracht; son-in-law, John Kracht; brothers, Leroy, Wilfred, Melvin, Cyril, Gilbert, Leander, Edwin, William, and Vernon Ostendorf; and sisters, Irene Bullard, Anna Mae Ostendorf, Rita Lyon, and Joanne Heffron.