Edwin Barthel

Due to concerns related to COVID-19, a private Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, February 11 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids for Edwin J. “Ed” Barthel, 75, of Sauk Rapids, who died on January 29, 2021 at Country Manor Campus in Sartell after a 17-month battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The Rev. Tom Knoblach will officiate. Interment of the urn will be in the parish cemetery at a later date. The funeral Mass will be streamed by Sacred Heart Parish and available for viewing, both during and after the Mass, on their YouTube channel and website at https://www.sacredheartsaukrapids.org/livestream. Those wishing to watch it live may contact the family for time specifics. An outdoor celebration of Ed’s life is being considered for a later date.  Service with Dignity provided by the Foley Funeral Home.

Ed was born on August 8, 1945 in St. Cloud to Clarence and Elfrieda (Sis) Barthel. He was a 1963 graduate of Sauk Rapids High School and served in the U.S. Navy from 1963-1965. Outside of his Navy service and final months at Country Manor, Ed lived in Sauk Rapids his entire life and was employed by the U.S. Postal Service for 41 years, retiring in 2009. He was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Sauk Rapids.

Cherished by those around him, Ed enjoyed spending free time with his siblings and their families, as well as his many friends. He especially loved fishing and card playing, notably cribbage, and belonged to several area card clubs. On his hobby farm, he maintained a large vegetable garden and raised cattle and egg-laying hens, generously sharing the harvests with family and many others, including those in need. Ed was a kind man who frequently put the needs of others ahead of his own. He also made people laugh with his amazingly quick wit and great sense of humor, even in his last days.

Ed is survived by sisters and brothers Anita (Harold) Rooney of Sauk Rapids, Alvin (Carol) Barthel of Little Falls, Jerry (Elizabeth) Barthel and Vernon (Elizabeth) Barthel of Sauk Rapids, Judy (Mike) Rolfzen of Albany, and Leon (Wendi) Barthel of Sauk Rapids, as well as 16 nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, James (1968); and niece, Joy Rooney (1987).

Ed's family would like to thank the staff at Country Manor, Coborn Cancer Center, and St. Croix Hospice, who were truly attentive to Ed's needs—most notably Kim, his “angel-and-a-half."

Obituary, guestbook, and video tribute will be available online: www.foleyfuneralhome.net

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