Leander (Lee) Charles Oertli
Adrian, MN
A Mass of Christian Burial for Leander Oertli, age 88, of Adrian, MN, will be held Thursday, June 30, 2016, at St. Adrian Catholic Church, at 10:30 a.m. Leander passed away Saturday, June 25, 2016, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, MN.
Leander (Lee) Charles Oertli was born on a farm by Fountain City, WI, on August 29, 1927, to Edward and Anna (Hilbe) Oertli. As a young child, they moved to Madison, SD, in 1929 to a farm. In 1938, they moved to Slayton, MN and several other farms in southwest Minnesota. In 1948, they moved back to a farm by Slayton. In 1951, Lee was drafted into the US Army and served in Germany during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1953.
Lee has lived in Adrian, MN since 1953. He completed the Auto Body program at Fargo Vo-Tech, in Fargo, ND. He married the love of his life, Coletta Konz, on September 1, 1969 at St. Adrian Catholic Church. Lee worked for Klooster Trucking, Safeway Foods, Oertli Service for 10 years, managed Tri City Gas for 30 years and worked at the Greenview Rest Area I-90 West for 16 years.
He was a member of St. Adrian Catholic Church, an honorary member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Adrian Catholic Church, Adrian American Legion Post 32 for over 50 years, Rock County VFW Post 2757, and a past member of the Wilmont VFW Post 2603. Lee received an Occupation Medal and National Defense Medal from the US Army on July 25, 2015. Lee also was granted a high school diploma from Murray County Central High School on November 11, 2009.
Lee enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, bird watching, collecting toy tractors, reading, family genealogy, and spending time with his family and his grandchildren.
He became a resident of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, MN on July 20, 2011.
Lee is survived by his loving and faithful wife of 46 years, Coletta Oertli, Adrian; two daughters, Jean (Dean) Hamann, Adrian, and Sue (Chad) Schreier, Slayton; three granddaughters, Ryanna, Brylei & Isabela Schreier; nieces and nephews. He was the last living member of his immediate family.
He is preceded in death by his parents; two siblings, Marion Reether and Bernard Oertli; and two nieces, Margaret Reether and Anna Becker.
