Richard “Pete” Barthel

Funeral services for Richard “Pete” Barthel will be held Friday, July 20, 2018 at 3 p.m. at St. Mary of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Long Prairie. Pete died July 11, 2018. Visitation will be held Friday, July 20 from 1-3 p.m. at the church.
Pete was born April 6, 1930 in Swanville Township, Todd County, to Frank & Elsie (Shinabarger) Barthel. On November 10, 1951, Pete married Orianna Mabry; they have been married for 66 ½ years. Together they had three children: Richard “Junior”, Robert “Bob” and Marilyn “Punk”.
Pete worked six years at the milk plant in Browerville as a truck driver. Before that he worked in St. Paul as a press operator. In 1965, he started working for Larson Boats in Little Falls as an over the road driver. He delivered boats to 49 states and from one end of Canada to the other. Pete visited Hawaii; making him to have been in all 50 states. Pete retired in September of 1992. He worked for Zinter Potato Farms as a truck driver in the summer months. He went to Weslaco, Texas in the Rio Grande Valley from January of 1993 to April of 2016. He enjoyed every minute of it and made many friends from different states. He enjoyed his family especially the little ones. He loved them dearly.
Horses were a big part of his life, he had 1 to 4 horses all the time. He rode and loved driving them. He had 10 beef cows for over 25 years. He loved being outside taking care of the yard and garden. He could not take care of the garden anymore, but still cut grass last year and always talked to his horses.
Pete is survived by his wife Orianna of 66 ½ years, son Junior (Betty) of Browerville, daughter-in-law Cathy of Illinois, and daughter Punk of Long Prairie; 7 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, 3 great great grandchildren; brothers: Frank & Lloyd (Vicky) of Swanville.
Pete is preceded in death by his parents; son Bob, son-in-law Jim Proell, brother Ed and sisters: Viola Zilka and Alice Barthel.