Carol Alma Oertel

Carol Alma Oertel, age 89, of Hastings, Minnesota, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Sunday August 2, 2026.

Carol was born on July 19, 1937 to Arnold and Mildred Leibner at home on the farm in Warren Township in Winona County, Minnesota. She attended North Warren School, a one-room schoolhouse, through 8th grade. She then attended Lewiston High, where she graduated at the top of her class in 1955. Carol married Frank Robert Oertel on August 18, 1956 after a two-year courtship carried out largely via letters, as Frank was serving in the U.S. Navy when they met through mutual friends. Carol was baptized, confirmed, and married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wilson, Minnesota. In 1962, Carol and Frank, and their two little daughters, moved to Hastings Minneosta, where their son was born and where they lived out the rest of their lives. Their church home in Hastings was St. John’s Lutheran Church, where they raised their children and actively took part in all facets of church life.

Carol will be remembered for her intelligence, her creativity, her friendliness, and her always stylish appearance. She enjoyed many different artistic pursuits such as sewing, drawing, painting, and other crafts. She made friends easily and had a wide circle of friends that she met through church, Frank’s ball games, and her jobs at Montgomery Wards and Fair Office World. She and Frank enjoyed spending time with friends, bowling, playing golf, and traveling. In later years, they enjoyed attending their grandchildren’s games and events, and taking them on fun adventures like trips to the zoo, Valley Fair, or the Mall of America. Carol was an avid collector and was especially known for her collections of California raisins, antique toys, and valentines. She enjoyed buying and selling collectables in various online groups and antique shops. She was an active volunteer of the Regina hospital auxiliary and Friends of the Library.

Carol is survived by her children, Peggy (Colen) Willard, Barabra (Jeff) Petersen, and Thomas Oertel; grandchildren, Jordan (Kate) Brown, Alec (Courtney) Brown, Marianne Oertel, Charlie Oertel, Brittany (Ivan) Trushin, Ryan (Addie) Petersen, and Seth Petersen; and great-grandchildren, Lev and Luna Trushin and William, Nora, and Claire Petersen. Other survivors include her sisters, Marni (Nick) Casassa, Susan Gibbs, and Cheryl (Brian) Degnan; sister-in-law, Alice Thompson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by husband, Frank in 2016; and her brother, Richard Leibner in 2017.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 13, 2026 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 202 8th Street West, Hastings with a visitation from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Reception to follow the service. Interment will take place at a later date at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Wilson, Minnesota.

Memorials can be directed to St. John's Lutheran Church in Hastings.