Eileen F. Oeltjen

The funeral service for Eileen F. Oeltjen, 97, a rural Stewartville, MN resident will be at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, March 9, 2020 at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville with Rev. Lyle Fritsch officiating. Burial will take place in Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville. Mrs. Oeltjen died on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 of natural causes at Spring Valley Living in Spring Valley, MN, where she had been a resident since 2016.

Eileen Francis Howard was born on May 22, 1922 in Spring Valley to Berten and Gertrude (Kappers) Howard. She grew up in Spring Valley, attended school there, graduating from Spring Valley H.S. in 1941. Eileen was married on June 18, 1942 in Spring Valley to Edwin M. Oeltjen. Edwin was on leave from the U.S. Army and Eileen and her new husband lived in the state of Georgia prior to his deployment, that same year, to the European Theatre during WW II. Eileen returned to MN to live near her family. Following his discharge in 1945 the couple lived in S.E. MN before moving to rural Stewartville in 1947 where they farmed, raised their family and made their home for many years. Eileen was a homemaker and farmwife and was employed at the Kahler Hotel in Rochester as a banquet waitress until her retirement. Edwin was a farmer and a rural mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service for a number of years. Mr. Oeltjen died on August 15, 1986. Eileen was a longtime member of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville serving with its Altar Guild, Ladies Aid and Friendship Club. She also was a member of the Stewartville VFW Ladies Auxiliary. Eileen and Edwin enjoyed playing 500 and belonged to neighborhood card clubs. She enjoyed baking, gardening and loved spending time with her family, especially her grand-children, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.

Eileen is survived by her 3 sons, Michael ”Mick” of rural Stewartville, Marti (Susan) of Racine, MN and Ronald (Monika) of Menomonee Falls, WI; 2 daughter-in-laws, Donna Oeltjen of Lake City, MN and Rosemary Oeltjen of rural Stewartville; 15 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Edwin; 2 sons, Gary and Reggie; grandson, Nathan Oeltjen; great grand-daughter, Mia Rabe Oeltjen; 2 sisters, Erma Hahn and Viola Applen and brother, Bernard Howard.

A time of visitation for family and friends will take place from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. on Monday (March 9, 2020) at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray Funeral Home in Stewartville. Condolences and memories of Eileen are welcome at www.griffin-gray.com

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