Dorothy Mertens of Kimball died Monday, Aug. 18, 2003, at the St. Cloud Hospital. She was 86. Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Kimball with Rev. David Grundman officiating. Burial followed in St. Anne’s Cemetery. Friends called from 4-8 p.m. Thursday and 8:30-9:30 a.m. Friday at the Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel in Kimball. A prayer service was held at 6 p.m. Thursday. Dorothy Helen Mertens was born July 11, 1917, in Bancroft, S.D., to Aldelbert and LuLu (Holland) Clement. She married Henry A. Mertens Jan. 2, 1942, in Brooten. He preceded her in death July 7, 1997. Dorothy was a homemaker and a TMA at Madden’s Nursing Home in Kimball for 20 years. She lived in Kimball for the past 60 years and was a member of St. Anne’s Church. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband; two infant children, Carol and Louis; son, Charles; two great-grandchildren; four sisters and three brothers. She is survived by 12 children and their spouses: Joan (and Edmund) Theisen of Perham, Jean (and DuWayne) Orbeck of Kimball, John (and Judi) of St. Cloud, James of Kimball, Lona Nathe of Luxemburg, David of Watkins, Cherry (and John) Hengel of St. Cloud, Roxanne (and David) Donnay of Waite Park, Debra (and Steven) Vossen of Watkins, Patrick (and Lynda) of South Haven, Paul (and Debra) of Clearwater, Ramona (and Mike) Olk of Kimball; 30 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Pallbearers were grandsons Kevin Reil, Eric Nathe, Cory and Craig Hengel, Jason and Nathan Mertens, and Jeff and Mark Orbeck. St. Anne’s Choir provided the music. Arrangements were made by Dingmann Funeral Care of Kimball.
