BLUE EARTH — Teresa Agnes Oelke, 92, of rural Blue Earth, Minn., passed away Thursday, June 1, 2017, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont, Minn. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 8, 2017, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth.

Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, at the church, and one hour prior to the service on Thursday. Interment will take place immediately following the service at Calvary Cemetery in Blue Earth. Father Peter Klein will officiate.

Teresa was born Jan. 13, 1925, the daughter of August and Clara (Kulla) Schultz, in Dunbar Township, Faribault County. She attended Maple Grove country school and St. Casimir Catholic School in Wells, Minn. With her brothers and sisters, she worked on the family farm, eventually taking jobs in town. A child of The Great Depression, she learned the values of hard work, honesty and humility.

On Oct. 8, 1955, she was united in marriage to Wayne John Oelke at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. Wayne and Teresa farmed and raised their family in Pleasant Prairie Township, rural Guckeen, Minn. Together they had five children.

Teresa enjoyed life on the farm. She was an excellent cook, an avid baker and gardener, and helped with whatever was necessary to run the farm. She was the true definition of a farm wife and mother.

Teresa valued friendships more than possessions. She enjoyed family picnics with neighbors and friends, her neighborhood 500 card club and cookie exchanges.

Her spiritual life revolved around Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Guckeen, where she served on one of the women’s circles.

She enjoyed attending her children and grandchildren’s school activities. She was even known to take the family’s motorcycle out for a spin. Teresa was an avid sports fan. She continued to attend high school games well into her years, and loved watching college and pro sports, especially the Minnesota Twins, on television.

Teresa will be missed by her children: Ron (Melissa) Oelke of Andalusia, Ill., Dave (Wendy) Oelke of Prior Lake, Minn., Cathy (Robbin) Celander of Fairmont, Minn., Mary (Steve) LaPanta of Minneapolis, Minn., and Anne Oelke of Blue Earth; grandchildren, Kristen, Lauren, and Ryan Oelke, Owen Oelke, Abby Namken, Jacob Shoen and Dylan Celander; great-grandchildren, Remi and Reagan Shoen; sisters, Lorraine Horvat of Austin, Minn., Jean Ann (Dean) Clarke of Lakeville, Minn.; sisters-in-law, Kathy Schultz and Sharon Schultz of Wells, Marie VonHolzen of Winter Haven, Fla., and Irene (George) Bassett of Blue Earth.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of nearly 45 years, Wayne, in 2000; sisters, Loretta Brummer and Maxine Westrum; brothers, Arnold, James, Marvin, and Mike Schultz; sisters-in-law, Edith Schultz and Thelma Oelke; brothers-in-law, Lynn Westrum, John Horvat, Phillip Brummer and Leo Oelke; niece, Deb (Schultz) Bruckhoff; and nephews, Jerry and Dale Schultz.

www.pattonfh.com

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]