Erna Miller

Erna V. Miller, age 97 of Belle Plaine, MN died at The Belle Plaine Lutheran Home early Friday, September 22, 2017. Funeral services will be on Friday, September 29, 2017, 11:00 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Belle Plaine. Visitation will be at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. Lunch will follow services at the church and burial will be in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in New Ulm, MN on Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 11:00 AM. Rev. Tim Redfield will officiate the services. Erna was born on March 17, 1920 in Redwing, MN to Rev. Gerhard & Rosa (Quandt) Hinnenthal. She lived in Goodhue, MN at a young age and later moved to New Ulm where her father was Pastor at St. Paul's Lutheran church for many years. She attended St. Paul's Elementary School where she spoke German until the 3rd grade. She graduated from New Ulm High School and attended Dr. Martin Luther. College. She married Harley Mathweg on August 12, 1943 and lived with him while he worked in Colome, SD and Platteville, WI. Eventually the couple resided and raised their family in Plymouth, MN where Harley died on January 1, 1967. Following Harley's death, she worked in Human Resources at the Red Owl Corporate Headquarters in Hopkins, MN. She later married Johann Brentrup on June 22, 1985, and they lived in New Hope, MN until his death on July 9, 1996. She moved to Belle Plaine in 1999 marrying Carl Miller on January 22, 2000. The couple lived in Belle Plaine until Carl's death on May 31, 2002. Erna became a resident of Kingsway in December of 2009. For many years, Erna was an active member of Timothy Lutheran in St. Louis Park, MN where she was a member of "Owls", taught Sunday School, was in the Church Choir and the President of the Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) chapter. Once she moved to Belle Plaine, she was an Executive Board Member and active worker for the Home To Home Thrift Store. Erna is survived by her children; Suzanne (Ken) Westlund of Denver, Co, John (Jean) Mathweg of Bemidji, MN and David (Lynn) Mathweg of Roseburg, OR, nine grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, husbands (Harley Mathweg, Johann Brentrup and Carl Miller), brothers Mark (Alice) Hinnenthal, Arthur (Oliva) Hinnenthal, Kurt (Ruth) Hinnenthal and sisters Ruth (Lester) Heller and Marie (Vic) Tietz. She was blessed with many friends some with us and many departed.

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