Lillian Raatz

Lillian Raatz, age 90, of Browns Valley, MN, died on January 1, 2020.

Funeral services will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Browns Valley, MN. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 4, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home in Browns Valley with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Sunday. Pastor Larry Johnson will officiate, and interment will be at Midway Cemetery near Beardsley.

Lillian Rose Marion Raatz was born on May 4, 1929, in Beardsley, MN, to Otto Herman and Elsie Marie (Tietz) Rieck. Her parents brought her to Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Beardsley for the sacrament of Holy Baptism on May 19, 1929. Lillian was confirmed in the Lutheran faith on July 26, 1942. She attended rural school near Beardsley until eighth grade.

On September 28, 1947, Lillian was united in marriage with William “Bill” D. Raatz. She worked as a telephone operator in Beardsley until she and Bill started farming on a farm north of Beardsley from 1950 to 1957. After farming, Lillian worked for the clothing store in Browns Valley, then was a typewriter for the Amundson Newspaper. In 1972, she started working at Browns Valley Health Center and continued to work there for 37 years until she retired in 2008. Lillian resided in Beardsley until 2013. She then lived in an apartment in Browns Valley. Her final home was at Browns Valley Health Center.

Lillian enjoyed dancing, bowling, playing Canasta, crocheting, and sewing. Her heart was filled with love for all her nieces and nephews. She could kiss away the “owies”, smile at every joke, play games, attend school activities, and was a good role model for all of them.

Cherishing her memory are all her many nieces and nephews and their families.

Preceding her in death were her husband, Bill, in 1972; her parents; brothers: William (Germaine) Rieck, Harold (Lorraine) Rieck, and Robert Rieck; sisters: Violet (Raymond) Oletzke, and Shirley (Odell) Hoffman; and nephews: Dale Rieck, Gary Rieck, Todd Hoffman, and Tom Hoffman.