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Harvey Nienaber ’59

Harvey P. Nienaber, age 73, of Sauk Centre, lived a good life, fought a hard fight, and passed away Sunday, April 5, 2015 at CentraCare Health Hospital after losing his battle with cancer.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, April 10 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery with military honors by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at the church. Parish prayers will be at 6 p.m. followed by a rosary at 7 p.m. Thursday evening.

Harvey Paul Nienaber was born July 1, 1941 in Freeport, Minnesota to Theodor and Marie (Borgerding) Nienaber. Harvey met Ruth Lucuik in Canada and married her on July 30, 1977 in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. The couple lived in Canada for two years before moving to Sauk Centre in 1979. Harvey served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He worked at Heartland Implement in Sauk Centre as a mechanic and then worked as a custodian at the Holy Family School in Sauk Centre for many years. Upon retirement, he did maintenance work at the Lynx Golf Course in Sauk Centre. He enjoyed playing golf and cards and was an avid Twins fan.

Harvey was a devoted Catholic and a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Post 67 and a former member of the Bishop Busch Council #4863 Knights of Columbus.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth M. Nienaber; daughters, Lana Nelson, Katherine Gilbert, Erika Nienaber, and Anna (Travis) Salzwedel; granddaughters, Sydney Gilbert and Eleanor Salzwedel; siblings, Roman (Millie) Nienaber, Eileen (Tony) Nienaber, Richard (Millie) Nienaber, Thomas (Rosie) Nienaber, Mary Ann (Alfred) Nienaber, and Henry (Lois) Nienaber.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Theodor H. and Marie A. Nienaber; brothers, Bernard and Victor; and sister, Anna Marie. Serving as casket bearers will be Roman, Richard, Thomas, and Henry Nienaber, John Wolfe, and Travis Salzwedel. Cross bearer will be Eileen Nienaber and scripture bearer will be Mary Ann Nienaber.