Richard Mertens

Richard Mertens, age 80, of Hudson Township, MN, died Saturday, October 21, 2017. A funeral service will be held from 11 AM Thursday, October 26, 2017 at Grace Church in Alexandria, MN. Interment will be at a later date in the Lake Leven cemetery.  Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM Wednesday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria, MN.

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Richard William Mertens was born April 17, 1937 in Brooten, MN, the son of Raymond and Grace (Majerus) Mertens. At age six, Rich and his family moved to Hudson Township near Alexandria, MN. He attended country school for one year before going to school in Villard, MN. He graduated from high school in Villard.

At age fifteen, Rich took over the daily operations of the family farm due to his father’s poor health. He began buying more cattle and land. Rich continued farming with his father until Raymond died in 1975, also working for a time at the elevator in Villard.

On September 4, 1962 Rich was united in marriage to Carol Springer at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Villard. The couple made their home on the family farm and were blessed with four children, while welcoming many foster children in their home as well.  Rich operated a true family farm with all of the children pitching in to complete the daily chores.  In 1986 Rich sold the dairy cows, but continued farming the land. During the winter of 1987/88, Rich and his family operated the Villard Café. In 1999 he began renting the farmland out, but continued raising beef cattle until 2010. Rich and Carol continued to live on the farm with Richard, Jr.

Rich’s main hobby was his work. He loved the land and farm work. Rich also enjoyed target practice and spending time cutting wood for winter heating. Rich enjoyed his cats and loved to sneak them into the house. Rich also was pretty clever with machinery - if he wanted to get a machine to do a certain job, he would make the modifications needed to make it work.

Rich’s family was the most important thing to him. He was a hard worker and he passed that, and several other values, on to his children for which they are grateful. They will miss him very much.

On Saturday, October 21, 2017, Rich died at home with family at the age of eighty years. He was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Robert Mertens. Rich is survived by his wife, Carol Mertens of Hudson Township; sons, Richard Mertens, Jr. of Hudson Township and Charles Mertens and wife, Kristi, of Minneapolis, MN; daughters, Christina Udean and husband, Michael, of Nisswa, MN and Susan Mertens and friend, Mark Niemmers, of Cyrus, MN; grandchildren, Kyle Mertens, Alyssa Mertens, Richard Mertens, Alexander Mertens, Shaynna Mertens and Nathan Fiala and wife, Holly; and great grandchildren, Brayden Fiala, Jackson Fiala and Griffynn Fiala.

A funeral service will be held 11 AM Thursday, October 26, 2017 at Grace Church in Alexandria. Interment in Lake Leven Cemetery will be at a later date.

Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria.