Lorraine Bertha Kreklau

                Lorraine Bertha Kreklau, age 95, a lifelong North Germany Township area resident, east of Sebeka, MN, peacefully passed into Glory on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, with her loved ones at her side at the Essentia Health Medical Center in Fargo, ND.

                Lorraine was born on March 27, 1923, in North Germany Township to Henry and Olga (Eckert) Milbradt.  She attended the District #49 Country School near her childhood home.  As a young woman, Lorraine ventured to Minneapolis where she worked as a nanny for several affluent families in the big city.  Always a country girl at heart, Lorraine returned to the Sebeka area and worked as a waitress at Doty’s Restaurant in Sebeka.  On February 18, 1943, she was united in marriage to Wilfred Louis Kreklau, a lifelong friend who she had first known as a boy in Sunday School at the Zion Lutheran Church.  They were blessed with four children: Curtis, Susan, Luther, and Deborah.  Lorraine devoted her life to making a loving home for her husband and children.  She was a wonderful cook and baker who will be long remembered for her delicious homemade pies.  With her growing family, she worked hard each summer planting and nurturing a large garden into fruitful abundance and would also raise a large patch of strawberries, raspberries, and pickles.  She especially enjoyed picking wild blueberries in the forests that surrounded their home.  Lorraine, never being one to sit still, would work right alongside her husband in caring for their cattle, hogs, and chickens.  She worked in the barn daily milking their herd of dairy cows and would also help with the field work as well as feed her family and hired help.  Lorraine invested much of her spare time in helping her children with their 4-H projects preparing them for the annual competition at the Wadena County fair.  Both before and after her children were involved with 4-H, Lorraine handmade many craft projects she brought to the County fair.  She was extremely skilled at crocheting and had made many wall hangings for her beloved Zion Lutheran Church, that clearly displayed her faith in and love for the Lord.  She had prayed just weeks ago that the God would give her strength to complete her most recent project, “The Good Shepherd”, which she was preparing as a gift to the church.  Not only did she complete it before she was called home to heaven; but, she won blue ribbons with it at both the Wadena and Beltrami County fairs.  Throughout her life, Lorraine gave great commitment to caring for her family and extended family.  In addition to her children and grandchildren, she had also raised her niece, Laurie Nagle who had lost both her parents at an early age and she had also cared for her elderly father for many years.  She will be long remembered and forever cherished for the strong unconditional and sacrificial love she gave to her family and friends throughout her life.

                Lorraine will be lovingly remembered by her four children: Curtis (Margaret) Kreklau of Alexandria, MN, Susan (Dale) Kangas of Shakopee, her devoted son and caregiver, Luther Kreklau of Sebeka and Deborah (Dr. Michael) Herbert of Bemidji; her six dearly loved grandchildren: Curtis Jr., (Emily) Kreklau, Corrine (Marc) Schrantz, Tamara (Peter) Erickson and Naomi (Dr. Mitchell Crider) Kangas, Michael Herbert and Mallary Herbert; nine precious great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews, 18 God-children; other relatives and friends.

                She was preceded in death by her husband, Willie in 1981; her niece, Laurie and seven siblings: Irene, Ethel, Marion, Audrey, Jule, Harold “Cork” and Tom.

                Funeral services will be held 11:30 AM Monday, September 17, 2018, at the Zion Lutheran Church of North Germany Township east of Sebeka with the Reverend Ray Hendrickson officiating.  The organist will be Faye Mavis.  Active casket bearers will be Curtis Kreklau, Sr., Curtis Kreklau, Jr., Luther Kreklau, Dr. Michael Herbert, Sr., Michael Herbert, Jr., Dale Kangas, Dr. Mitchell Crider, and Peter Erickson.  The honorary casket bearers will be Laverne Milbradt, Darlene Milbradt, Debby Herbert, Sue Kangas, Margaret Kreklau, Gladys Erickson, her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nephews, and nieces.  Interment will be made next to her beloved husband in the Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 9 AM Monday until the time of the service at the church.  Following the service, a luncheon will be hosted by the family at the Sebeka Event Center.

To leave online condolences or to view the tribute video please visit www.cardinipearson.com