Odelia F. Rau, 101, St. Cloud

October 6, 1919 - October 17, 2020

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Friday, October 23, 2020 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud for Odelia F. Rau, age 101, of St. Cloud. Odelia passed away peacefully on October 17 at the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids. Reverend Greg Lieser will officiate. Burial will take place in Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday at the church. Mask will be required.

Odelia was born October 6, 1919 in Onamia, Mn to Henry and Marie (Peters) DeGrood. She was raised on a farm and attended grade school and high school in Onamia. She married Marcellus A. Rau on May 11, 1944 in Casper, WY. She was a homemaker who lived in St. Cloud most of her life where she raised her six children. She was an active member of St. Peter’s Parish and did volunteer work.

Odelia was proud of her Dutch heritage and many knew her as “Sassy Diel”. She will be remembered as a great cook and enjoyed gardening both vegetables and flowers and canning. She especially enjoyed and loved her many grandchildren and was known for her sense of humor.
Odelia is survived by her children Robert (Joyce) of St. Augusta, Diane (Robert Smith) Perfecto of Chester, WI, Kathy (Ken) Schutz of Coon Rapids and Margo (Roger) Wagenius of Grantsburg, WI, 24 grandchildren, 47 great grandchildren and sister Genevieve Gorciak of California.

Preceding Odelia in death were her parents, husband Marcellus (Sept. 1995), daughters Connie Petro and Jane Johnson, son-in-law Sam Perfecto, grandsons Chad Meyer and Joee Perfecto and siblings Dien Rau, Liz Gamble, Rudolph DeGrood, Marie Marceau, Dorothy Zytcovich and Bill (DeGrood) Holland.

A special thank you to the staff at the Good Shepherd Community and St. Croix Hospice.