Evelyn Phyllis Hertel

Evelyn Phyllis Hertel was born on June 17, 1936 in Mizpah, Minnesota, the daughter of Elmer and Esther (Weiher) Voge. Evelyn was baptized and confirmed at the South Bertha Methodist Church and graduated from Bertha High School in 1954. On June 16, 1956, Evelyn married Harold “Bud” Hertel at the South Bertha Methodist Church. To this union four children were born, Alice, Calvin, Richard and Douglas. This family fulfilled her wish of being a wife and mother. Evelyn and Harold lived in Bertha until 1960 when they moved to Alexandria. After Evelyn and Harold bought their house in Alexandria, she transplanted one of her favorite wild pink rose bushes to their house. Evelyn loved nature, weather, her flower gardens, and looking at the stars at the end of each evening from the front door of her house for over 50 years. When Evelyn was not busy being a wife and mother, she kept herself busy. Her hands were rarely quiet: gardening, canning, freezing, baking of any kind- her specialty being pies and Christmas cookies; counted cross-stich, tatting and embroidery; sewing clothes; quilting. Evelyn created the alter cloths and banners for the Alexandria United Methodist Church. Evelyn had a passion for winning awards at the Douglas County Fair. Her deepest passion was quilting. It started in 1979 with a college room bedspread. She would go onto speak and share her knowledge and passion of quilting and fabrics to others. She was an active member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women’s group, the Joy Circle, and the Douglas County Area Quilters Guild. She enjoyed traveling, some of her favorite spots being Alaska, Pensacola, Door County and Mazatlán. She loved spending time with family. Even strangers found her delightful and easy to talk to. Evelyn went to be with the Lord on Saturday March 14, 2015 at the age of 78. She is preceded in death by her husband, Harold and her parents, Elmer and Esther Voge. She is survived by her children, Alice (Paul) Johnson of Ramsey, Calvin (Mary) Hertel of St. Paul, Richard Hertel of Brooklyn Center, and Douglas (Wendy) Hertel of Coon Rapids; grandchildren, David (Lindsay) Hertel, Emily Hertel, Lorina Hertel, Jessica Hertel, Nathanial Hertel, Katy Jo Johnson, and Bradley Johnson; great-grandchildren, Julian and Kaylee; brothers, Bernard (Dorothy) Voge and Jim (Cindy) Voge and sister, Carol Maloney. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Alexandria United Methodist Church-Butterfly Hill Nature Preschool. The address is: 2210 6th Ave E, Alexandria, Minnesota 56308.

Evelyn Phyllis Hertel

June 17, 1936 - March 14, 2015