Elmer Tretter

Elmer O. Tretter, 81 year old resident of Pierz, MN passed away Sunday, June 10, 2007 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, June 18, 2007 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Harding, MN with Father Gerald Dalseth officiating. Burial will be at the Minnesota State Veteran’s Cemetery north of Little Falls. Military Rites will be conducted by the Little Falls VFW Post #1112 and the Pierz American Legion Post #341. Friends may call from 4 to 8 PM on Sunday, June 17th at the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz and from 9 to 10:30 AM on Monday also at the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel. A parish prayer service will be held at 7 PM on Sunday at the funeral chapel. Elmer O. Tretter was born on June 17, 1925 in Pierz, Minnesota to the late Frank & Anna Tretter. He attended Hillman grade school. In his early years Elmer worked various jobs in the surrounding area. In 1950, he was drafted into the US Army, serving in the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in October of 1952. Elmer worked the next 10 years for Leon Joyce in Rochester, MN doing road construction. He was united in marriage to Eleanor Hayes on October 26, 1963 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Lastrup, MN. In 1963, he bought his first caterpillar, starting his own business, which he operated until retirement in 1990. In 1961, Elmer bought his 160 acre farm north of Pierz, where he lived until moving to Pierz in 2005. He was a lifetime member of the Little Falls VFW Post #1112 and a member of the Pierz American Legion Post #341. Elmer is a charter member of the Greater Minnesota Two Cylinder Club, which he was instrumental in establishing in 1991. A favorite past time of his was buying and restoring two cylinder John Deere tractors. He spent many hours driving his John Deere Gator around the farm and in town, with his grandson, Joey. Elmer is survived by his wife, Eleanor Tretter of Pierz, MN; daughters, Donna (Steven) Slettom of Little Falls, MN, Valerie (Timothy) Rudolph of Taconite, MN and Julie (James) Stangl of Little Falls, MN; brothers, Marvin (Ellen) Tretter of Pierz, MN, Ted (Bev) Tretter of Fort Ripley, MN, Donald (Arvilla) Tretter of Pierz, MN and Daryl (RoseAnn) Tretter of Pierz, MN; sisters, Cleora (Raymond) Schmuch of Duluth, MN, Betty Waytashek of Pierz, MN, Janet Tretter & Tom Bayer of Osseo, MN, Gloria Thomsen of Pierz, MN and Carol (Patrick) McGuire of East Gull Lake, MN; 9 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Preceded in death by his parents, Frank & Anna Tretter; a sister, Elaine Bayer and a brother, Norman Tretter. Honorary Pallbearers will be Joey Kozulla, Stephanie Rudolph, Alicia Rudolph, Jessica Stangle and Megan Slettom. Active Pallbearers will be Luke Kozulla, Nathan Kozulla, Joshua Stangl. Ryan Rudolph, Russ Tretter and Corey Tretter. Arrangements are with the Shelley-Virnig Funeral Chapel in Pierz, MN (320)468-6453 www.shelleyfuneralchapels.com

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Elmer Tretter

June 17, 1925 - June 10, 2007