Catherine A. Merkel

Catherine A. Merkel, 77, formerly of 120 Chestnut Street, died Monday, October 6, 2008, at the Fond du Lac Lutheran Home where she had been a resident since August. She was born October 12, 1930, in Marshfield, the daughter of Reinhold J. and Anna J. Meichelbeck Hornick. On March 1, 1949, she married Benjamin A. Merkel at St. Michaels in Hewitt, WI. After her marriage, she and her husband moved to Fond du Lac in 1949. Catherine was a member of Holy Family Parish-Sacred Heart Church, a former member of the St. Anne Society, and had been a volunteer at St. Louis school. She was formerly employed as a nursing assistant at Americana Nursing Home (ManorCare) for 20 years, retiring in 1992. Catherine enjoyed cooking, baking, collecting beanie babies, and buying lottery tickets for her grandchildren. Surviving is her husband, Benjamin, six daughters, Marlene (Bob) Freville of Sheboygan Falls, Ann (Ken) Reinke of Fond du Lac, Rose (Mark) Lefeber of Fond du Lac, Julie (Joe) Giebel of Beaver Dam, Teresa (Ed) Comparon of Mansfield, TX, and Barbara (Joel) Kroll of Fond du Lac; three sons, Thomas (Susan) Merkel of Eldorado, Paul (Colleen) Merkel of Fond du Lac, and Michael Merkel of Fond du Lac, 19 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Dorothy Nickolai of Marshfield, Edna (Jim) Lang of Reesville, WI, and Mary Ann (Richard) Heinzen of Cedarburg, WI, a brother, Andrew (Elaine) Hornick of Marshfield, many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. Her parents, and a sister, Lucille Zellner, preceded her in death.



Visitation for Catherine A. Merkel will be on Thursday, October 9, 2008, from 4 to 8 pm at Uecker-Witt Funeral Home, and on Friday, October 10th, from 10:00 to 11:00 am at Sacred Heart Church, 232 S. Peters Avenue. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 am at the church on Friday. The Rev. Patrick Heppe will officiate and entombment will be in the Chapel of The Risen Christ Mausoleum, Calvary Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Catherine's name. Additional information and guest book may be found at www.ueckerwitt.com