1922
Lloyd
2011
Lloyd Dretsch
March 6, 1922 — November 14, 2011
Lloyd C. Dretsch, age 89, of Frazee, MN, passed away Monday, November 14, 2011, at the Frazee Care Center. Funeral mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, November 19, 2011, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee. Interment will be held in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Lunch will be hosted at the church following the service for all to attend. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m., Friday, November 18, 2011, at Furey Funeral Home in Frazee, MN. A rosary service will take place at 6:30 p.m. with a prayer service to follow at 7 p.m.
Lloyd was born March 6, 1922, in Height of Land Twp., Becker Co., MN, to Julius and Frieda (Fechtner) Dretsch. He grew up and attended school in Silver Leaf Twp., Becker County, MN. Lloyd attended Frazee High School during which he especially enjoyed playing football and served as captain of the team. He graduated with the class of 1939.
In 1940, Lloyd took at job working for the Daggett Truck Line in Frazee where he drove truck. He also worked as a managing dispatcher for Daggett Truck Line out of an office in Dickenson, ND. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth (Betty) Iten in Washington D.C. on December 29, 1942. This union was blessed with 6 children: Diane, Tom, Dick, Paul, Jack and Mike.
Before Lloyd enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943, he worked in foreign construction in Newfoundland, Canada. While in the Navy, Lloyd served in the North Pacific, based in Dutch Harbor during WWII and was awarded a Victory Medal for his service. He was honorably discharged on November 10, 1945.
Following an honorable discharge, Lloyd returned to Frazee with his wife and to his job at the Daggett Truck Line. Throughout his career, he drove a total of 4,158,396 miles. He retired in 1990. Lloyd and his family had a beef cattle farm in rural Frazee for many years.
Lloyd was a devoted husband to Betty for 69 years. They loved to travel, dance and play cards. He was interested in everything. He loved to read and invest in the stock market. In retirement, Lloyd started every day reading the Wall Street Journal. Lloyd enjoyed hunting as well as reminiscing about the old days of lumbering, threshing and driving. He loved to watch his grandchildren in their various activities and maturing into good young adults, which made him very proud. Being the last surviving sibling in his family, Lloyd took on a special roll of loving and advising his nieces and nephews. He loved his family very much.
Lloyd was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee and was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Frazee Heart of Lakes VFW Post 7702 and was a member of the Frazee Lions Club. In 2001, Lloyd received the Melvin Jones Award which is one of the highest honors presented to Lion members.
Memorials may be donated in Lloyd's name to the Frazee Neighbor to Neighbor organization.
Lloyd is survived by his wife, Betty of Frazee; 5 children: Diane Dretsch Mollins of Detroit Lakes, MN, Richard Dretsch of King George, VA, Paul (Alta) Dretsch of Tumwater, WA, Jack (Kathy) Dretsch of Frazee, MN, and Mike (Gayle) Dretsch of Frazee, MN; 15 grandchildren: Melanie Christianson, Stephanie Dinapoli, Marcus Mollins, Anthony Mollins, Aaron Dretsch, Jessica Dretsch, Michael Dretsch, Cassie Starinsky, Heather Dretsch, Joseph Dretsch, Katrina Dretsch, Josh Hanson, Jordan Dretsch, Ashley Dretsch and Gabriel Dretsch; 15 great grandchildren; 1 daughter-in-law, Carol Dretsch; 2 sisters-in-law, Lavon Burckhardt and Edith Dretsch.
He was preceded in death by his parents; 1 son, Tom in 1999; 1 sister, Loretta Graham; and 2 brothers: Lester and Leroy Dretsch.
Lloyd was born March 6, 1922, in Height of Land Twp., Becker Co., MN, to Julius and Frieda (Fechtner) Dretsch. He grew up and attended school in Silver Leaf Twp., Becker County, MN. Lloyd attended Frazee High School during which he especially enjoyed playing football and served as captain of the team. He graduated with the class of 1939.
In 1940, Lloyd took at job working for the Daggett Truck Line in Frazee where he drove truck. He also worked as a managing dispatcher for Daggett Truck Line out of an office in Dickenson, ND. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth (Betty) Iten in Washington D.C. on December 29, 1942. This union was blessed with 6 children: Diane, Tom, Dick, Paul, Jack and Mike.
Before Lloyd enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943, he worked in foreign construction in Newfoundland, Canada. While in the Navy, Lloyd served in the North Pacific, based in Dutch Harbor during WWII and was awarded a Victory Medal for his service. He was honorably discharged on November 10, 1945.
Following an honorable discharge, Lloyd returned to Frazee with his wife and to his job at the Daggett Truck Line. Throughout his career, he drove a total of 4,158,396 miles. He retired in 1990. Lloyd and his family had a beef cattle farm in rural Frazee for many years.
Lloyd was a devoted husband to Betty for 69 years. They loved to travel, dance and play cards. He was interested in everything. He loved to read and invest in the stock market. In retirement, Lloyd started every day reading the Wall Street Journal. Lloyd enjoyed hunting as well as reminiscing about the old days of lumbering, threshing and driving. He loved to watch his grandchildren in their various activities and maturing into good young adults, which made him very proud. Being the last surviving sibling in his family, Lloyd took on a special roll of loving and advising his nieces and nephews. He loved his family very much.
Lloyd was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee and was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a member of the Frazee Heart of Lakes VFW Post 7702 and was a member of the Frazee Lions Club. In 2001, Lloyd received the Melvin Jones Award which is one of the highest honors presented to Lion members.
Memorials may be donated in Lloyd's name to the Frazee Neighbor to Neighbor organization.
Lloyd is survived by his wife, Betty of Frazee; 5 children: Diane Dretsch Mollins of Detroit Lakes, MN, Richard Dretsch of King George, VA, Paul (Alta) Dretsch of Tumwater, WA, Jack (Kathy) Dretsch of Frazee, MN, and Mike (Gayle) Dretsch of Frazee, MN; 15 grandchildren: Melanie Christianson, Stephanie Dinapoli, Marcus Mollins, Anthony Mollins, Aaron Dretsch, Jessica Dretsch, Michael Dretsch, Cassie Starinsky, Heather Dretsch, Joseph Dretsch, Katrina Dretsch, Josh Hanson, Jordan Dretsch, Ashley Dretsch and Gabriel Dretsch; 15 great grandchildren; 1 daughter-in-law, Carol Dretsch; 2 sisters-in-law, Lavon Burckhardt and Edith Dretsch.
He was preceded in death by his parents; 1 son, Tom in 1999; 1 sister, Loretta Graham; and 2 brothers: Lester and Leroy Dretsch.
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