Beatta D. Mielke

Beatta D. Mielke, 84-year-old resident of Little Falls, MN passed away July 29, 2017 at Highland Senior Living in Little Falls, MN. Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at Zion Lutheran Church in Little Falls, MN with Rev. Gary Hendrickson officiating. Burial took place in the Spring Brook Cemetery in Swanville, MN.
Beatta was born on December 14, 1932 in Culdrum Township, Morrison County to the late Edwin and Ella (Petrich) Axel. She grew up in the Culdrum Township area and graduated with the class of 1951 from Little Falls High School. She was united in marriage to Loren Mielke on August 1, 1951 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Randall, MN. They began their married life farming in Swanville, MN where they spent most of their life raising three children. Beatta enjoyed spending time working outside in the yard, tending her vegetable and flower gardens and gathering wood for her fireplace. Her passion was keeping her home and yard immaculate. Beatta’s family enjoyed her fresh baked goods (especially her coffee cake and buns) and home cooked meals. Later in life, she and Loren moved from Swanville to a townhome in Little Falls where she donated her time baking donuts for the Little Falls Senior Center. She still enjoyed keeping busy outdoors and had fun going to the casino with family and friends. Beatta will be truly missed and forever remembered for her strong faith, her dedication to her family as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and her great sense of humor.
Beatta is survived by her loving husband, Loren Mielke of Little Falls, MN; children, Steve Mielke and fiancée Paula of Jacksonville, FL, Vicki Pangrac and husband Dan of Bowlus, MN, Brad Mielke and wife Rhonda of St. Cloud, MN; brothers Ed Axel and wife Joan of Richmond, VA and Harvey Axel and wife Darlene of Little Falls, MN; sisters Dorothy Decker of Brooklyn Center, MN and Audrey Hopke and husband Terry of St. Cloud, MN; grandchildren Aaron Mielke, Kristi, Adam, and Michael Pangrac, Hope Mielke and two step-grandchildren (Chris and Dan) and one step-greatgrandchild (Mya).
Beatta was preceded in death by parents, Edwin and Ella Axel and brothers-in-law Edward Decker, Harley Mielke, and Philip Crolius.