1916
Walter
2014
Walter McRoberts
July 12, 1916 — February 20, 2014
Funeral services for Walter McRoberts of Herman, MN will be held Tuesday, February 25, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Herman with Reverend Darrell Boe officiating. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be at a later date at Lakeside Cemetery in Herman.
Walter Edward McRoberts was born in the village of Herman on July 12, 1916, to William and Minnie (Podratz) McRoberts. The McRoberts were Scottish Presbyterians who had come to America in the 1850s and had settled near Herman in 1885; the Podratz family was of German Prussian origin and had come to America in the early 1890s. When Walter was age six years, the family moved from the village of Herman to a farm a mile south of town. He attended country school and later Herman High School, graduating in 1934. Walter participated on the school's baseball and track teams and was a key player on several successful high school and town basketball teams. He attended the University of Minnesota's Agriculture School in St. Paul where again he was a key player on the school's basketball team. With the exception of the time he attended school in St. Paul, he worked with his father on the family farm.
Following a letter of greetings from his Uncle Sam in February 1942, Walter completed Army basic training in Texas and then was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division. He served in Hawaii and Australia and participated in the invasions of New Guinea and the Philippine Islands. In November 1944 he was severely wounded in the Philippines and was evacuated back to California where he spent all of 1945 and part of 1946 undergoing numerous surgeries in Army hospitals. In 1945 he caught the eye of Muriel Kingsley, one of his Army nurses. They were married in March 1946 and moved back to Herman in March 1947. Walter worked for several years as a bookkeeper at the Herman Market Company and in 1952 was appointed postmaster in Herman where he served until retirement in 1980.
Walter was active in the Methodist Church in Herman, serving as a Sunday School teacher and as treasurer and financial secretary on multiple occasions. He was also active in many community organizations including Meals-on-Wheels, the American Legion, the Oddfellows, the Fre-Cap Association, and the Lakeside Cemetery Association. Walter was a dutiful husband and father. He provided most of the care for his wife, Muriel, during her long illness until her death in January 1999. He enjoyed watching his sons participate in athletic event and his daughters participate in band activities at Herman High School.
In November 1999, Walter and Carol (Dirks) Trisko were married. They thoroughly enjoyed each other's company and traveled extensively including numerous trips within the country, two trips to each of Alaska and Mexico, two Caribbean cruises, and trips to Hawaii, Nova Scotia, and Northern Ireland and England. He also enjoyed watching and listening to the Twins baseball team and investing.
On February 20, 2014, with his wife and children present, Walter moved from the Barrett Care Center to the place that had been prepared for him in his Heavenly Father's house (John 14:3).
He is survived by his wife: Carol; his children: Ronald (Nancy) of Hugo, Kathleen (Jim) Gardner of West St. Paul, Gerald (Christine) of Connecticut, Mickey of Alexandria, and Mary Lou (Ron) Pieper of New Prague; two step-children: Lori (Mike) Gaulrapp of Breckenridge and Janet (Tony) Van Reymersdal of Pennsylvania; 11 grandchildren: James, Michael, and Sean (Bonny) McRoberts, Erin (Christopher) Leckrone, Matthew Grupa, Bradley McRoberts, Elizabeth Peterson, Danelle (Josh) Smith, Kary (Derek) Marcks, Kendra (Andrew) Jipson, and Lisa Van Reymersdal; and nine great-grandchildren with two more on the way. Walter was preceded in death by his wife, Muriel, his parents, his brother, Harold, and his sister, Fern (McRoberts) Pasche.
Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements.
Walter Edward McRoberts was born in the village of Herman on July 12, 1916, to William and Minnie (Podratz) McRoberts. The McRoberts were Scottish Presbyterians who had come to America in the 1850s and had settled near Herman in 1885; the Podratz family was of German Prussian origin and had come to America in the early 1890s. When Walter was age six years, the family moved from the village of Herman to a farm a mile south of town. He attended country school and later Herman High School, graduating in 1934. Walter participated on the school's baseball and track teams and was a key player on several successful high school and town basketball teams. He attended the University of Minnesota's Agriculture School in St. Paul where again he was a key player on the school's basketball team. With the exception of the time he attended school in St. Paul, he worked with his father on the family farm.
Following a letter of greetings from his Uncle Sam in February 1942, Walter completed Army basic training in Texas and then was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division. He served in Hawaii and Australia and participated in the invasions of New Guinea and the Philippine Islands. In November 1944 he was severely wounded in the Philippines and was evacuated back to California where he spent all of 1945 and part of 1946 undergoing numerous surgeries in Army hospitals. In 1945 he caught the eye of Muriel Kingsley, one of his Army nurses. They were married in March 1946 and moved back to Herman in March 1947. Walter worked for several years as a bookkeeper at the Herman Market Company and in 1952 was appointed postmaster in Herman where he served until retirement in 1980.
Walter was active in the Methodist Church in Herman, serving as a Sunday School teacher and as treasurer and financial secretary on multiple occasions. He was also active in many community organizations including Meals-on-Wheels, the American Legion, the Oddfellows, the Fre-Cap Association, and the Lakeside Cemetery Association. Walter was a dutiful husband and father. He provided most of the care for his wife, Muriel, during her long illness until her death in January 1999. He enjoyed watching his sons participate in athletic event and his daughters participate in band activities at Herman High School.
In November 1999, Walter and Carol (Dirks) Trisko were married. They thoroughly enjoyed each other's company and traveled extensively including numerous trips within the country, two trips to each of Alaska and Mexico, two Caribbean cruises, and trips to Hawaii, Nova Scotia, and Northern Ireland and England. He also enjoyed watching and listening to the Twins baseball team and investing.
On February 20, 2014, with his wife and children present, Walter moved from the Barrett Care Center to the place that had been prepared for him in his Heavenly Father's house (John 14:3).
He is survived by his wife: Carol; his children: Ronald (Nancy) of Hugo, Kathleen (Jim) Gardner of West St. Paul, Gerald (Christine) of Connecticut, Mickey of Alexandria, and Mary Lou (Ron) Pieper of New Prague; two step-children: Lori (Mike) Gaulrapp of Breckenridge and Janet (Tony) Van Reymersdal of Pennsylvania; 11 grandchildren: James, Michael, and Sean (Bonny) McRoberts, Erin (Christopher) Leckrone, Matthew Grupa, Bradley McRoberts, Elizabeth Peterson, Danelle (Josh) Smith, Kary (Derek) Marcks, Kendra (Andrew) Jipson, and Lisa Van Reymersdal; and nine great-grandchildren with two more on the way. Walter was preceded in death by his wife, Muriel, his parents, his brother, Harold, and his sister, Fern (McRoberts) Pasche.
Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements.
Funeral Service
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