Vivian was born on April 13, 1925 near Spring Valley, Minnesota to Harry and Winnie (Hess) Vrieze. She graduated from the 8th grade from the Hamilton School in Fillmore County. During World War II she worked as a Rosie the Riveter at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington.
She married Gilbert Patten while she was in Washington and they were later divorced.
On June 9, 1948 she married Earl Rodenz in Spring Valley, Minnesota and was mostly a stay at home mother to nine children. In 1974 she went to work as a housekeeper and nursing assistant at the Harmony Nursing Home until her retirement in 1984. In 1981 they moved to the Mabel Area where she remained until April 2018.
Vivian passed away Friday, May 18, 2018 at Gundersen Harmony Healthcare in Harmony, Minnesota at the age of 93.
Vivian is survived by children David (Judy) Patten of Rochester, Ruth Brett of Mabel, William (Lynnelle) of Rochester, Catherine (Paul) Hagen of Spring Grove, Marilyn (LeeRoy) Parks of Rochester, Anna (Dennis) Miller of Rochester, and Lucy (James) Crawford of Mabel; fifteen grandchildren and several great grandchildren; brothers Avery (Donna) of Racine, Kenneth (Joann) of Racine, Floyd of Storm Lake, Iowa; sister-in-law Maxine Vrieze of Racine; and many nieces and nephews. Vivian was preceded in death by her parents Harry and Winnie Vrieze; her husband, Earl; sons Peter and Robert; grandsons Tobias Parks and Daniel Patten; brothers William and Calvin; and sisters Harriett Rolli, Eleanor Squire, and Dorothy Burmeister.
Memorial services will be 1 PM, Saturday, May 26th at the Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Spring Grove with Pastor David Allen officiating. Visitation will be from noon until the time of the service at the church. |
