Loretta Renneker

Loretta A. Renneker, age 82 of Melrose, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at her home in Melrose, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, February 23 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Freeport with Rev. Daniel Walz officiating. Interment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in Melrose.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Melrose and from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church in Freeport. Parish prayers will be held at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Loretta Ann Dullinger was born October 19, 1939 in Collegeville, Minnesota to Louis and Frances (Kruse) Dullinger. She went to country school until moving to Holdingford, where she graduated from Holdingford High School. She worked as a nurse’s aide in Melrose before the new hospital was built. Loretta met her future husband, Alcuin, while attending dances with her aunt and uncle in New Munich. The couple was married on September 24, 1959 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Holdingford. They farmed and lived on the farm that Alcuin grew up on and years later moved two miles down the road to the Zitur farm. Loretta and Alcuin retired from farming and their daughter, Julie, took over the farm. Loretta then worked at Jennie-O for 18 years and at Burger King for eight years.

She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Melrose, St. Elizabeth’s Society, Christian Mothers, Pioneer Club, and in 2012 was crowned Queen of the Pioneer Club. Loretta enjoyed quilting, gardening, bird watching, collecting angels, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include her children, Joan (Mike) Gerads of Freeport, Julie (Jerry) Gerads of Melrose, Jean Kidrowski of Willmar, Jeanette (Tom) Gerads of Freeport, Jill (Ray) Kurowski of Long Prairie, Janice (Dave) Guse of Holdingford, and Jodi Johnson of Long Prairie; 29 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren with one on the way; brother, Bob (Deb) Dullinger of Stillwater; brothers and sisters-in-law, Loren Groff, Joe and Kathy Herdering, and Marcie Wochnick.

Loretta was preceded in death by her husband, Alcuin Renneker on April 9, 2018; parents; son, Jim Renneker on May 1, 2018; infant daughter, Mary Renneker; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild; sisters, Dorothy Groff, Marlene Richards, and Mary Margaret Dullinger; brothers and sisters-in-law, John Richards, Celestine and Bernice Fischback, Daniel and Juanita Schlangen, Franky and Joyce Boeckermann, and Leroy Wochnick.