Margaret Zabel

Margaret A. Zabel, age 82, of Blue Earth, died Friday, January 4, 2013, at St. Lukes Lutheran Care Center, Blue Earth. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, at 1:00 PM, at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth, with Father Leo Koppala officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Blue Earth. Visitation time will be from 11:00 AM until service time on Tuesday at the church. Patton Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Blue Earth is assisting the family with the arrangements. Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.comMargaret was born January 24, 1930, in Mapleton, MN,, the daughter of Lawrence and Gertrude (Gartner) Minkel. She was raised and educated in Mapleton where she attended Mapleton High School. She was married to Orville E. Zabel on May 15, 1950 in Mapleton . The couple soon moved to Frost where they farmed and Margaret was a homemaker, raising 8 children. She had also worked seasonally at Green Giant and was a nurse''s aide at St. Luke''s Lutheran Care Center for 14 years before retiring in 1992. She enjoyed her many vegetable gardens, embroidery and following the MN Twins.Margaret is survived by her son: Gene (Janet) Zabel of Blue Earth, son, Jerry (Tammy) Zabel of Blue Earth, daughter: Debra (Carl) Wentz of Blue Earth, daughter, Kris (Monte) Kroeze of Faribault, daughter, Sheryl (Darrel) Danks of Hutchinson, son, Mark (Karen) Zabel of Kiester, son, Brian (Stacey) Zabel of Owatonna, daughter, Michelle (Kevin) Dardis of St. Clair, her sister, Gen Besser of Wells, sister-in-law, Emily Minkel of Mapleton, 17 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents and her husand, Orville in 2004, brother, Donald Minkeland brother-in-law, James Besser.