Online Obituaries Sunday, September 16, 2001 2001 obituaries    2000 obituaries    1999 obituaries The Journal Online   Experience New Ulm Click here for today's obituaries    Helen Christensen, 80, of Redwood Falls, formerly of Wabasso, died Friday, Sept. 14 at the Redwood Falls Area Hospital.    Arrangements are pending with the Nelson-Martin Funeral Service in Redwood Falls.    Elmer H. Hermel, 86, OF North Mankato, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001 at his home.    Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in North Mankato with burial in Woodland Hills Memorial Park in Mankato.    Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Mankato Mortuary and one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday. Memorials are preferred to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church or to an organization of the donor's choice.    He is survived by his wife, Esther Hermel of North Mankato; sons and their wives, Loel and Betty Hermel of Good Thunder, Oren and Cindy Hermel of Wausau, Wis., and Scott and Janet Hermel of North Mankato; four grandchildren; sisters, Florence Bublitz of North Mankato, and Agnes Fluegge and her husband, Ted of New Ulm; one brother and his wife, Marvin and Orpha Hermel of Nicollet; many friends and relatives.    He was preceded in death by his parents.Elmer H. Hermel was born Oct. 10, 1914 to John and Anna (Wilking) Hermel in Nicollet Township. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet and was confirmed there in 1928.    He attended Dunwoody Institute. He was in the Army in September 1942 with the 18th Engineers. He was stationed in the Aleutian Islands on the Island of Shemyea for 27 months. He was honorably discharged November 1945.    On Dec. 19, 1944, he married Esther Meyer at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mankato. After the war, he started the E.H. Hermel Construction Company and built many homes in Mankato and North Mankato. He retired in 1981.    He was an active member of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, where he had served as an officer on several boards.    Braydon Lee Portner of Coal Valley, Ill., was delivered stillborn    at 21 weeks at Trinity Medical Center, Rock Island, Ill.    He was the son of Lonnie and Jodi (Willmes) Portner of Coal Valley, formerly of    Metropolis, Ill. There will be no public service held. Trimble Funeral Rome, Coal Valley, is    handling the arrangements.    Braydon's survivors include his parents and brother, Bradley Portner of Coal Valley; maternal grandparents, Loren and Julia Willmes of Metropolis; and paternal grandparents, Dave and Darlene Portner of New Ulm.    Rita M. Schultz, 80, of Springfield, died Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001, at St. John's Lutheran Home, Springfied.    Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, at St. Raphael's Catholic Church, Springfield, with burial in St, Raphael's Catholic Cemetery, Springfield    Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday and 7:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Sturm Funeral Home, Springfield. There will be a parish prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, and a CCW Rosary at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church    She is survived by sons, Douglas and wife Mary Ann Schultz of Gurnee, Ill., Michael and wife Clare Schultz of Cottage Grove, Daniel and wife Lorri Schultz of Radcliffe, KY; six grandchildren, and a sister, Catherine and husband Jack Crain of Morton.    She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Melvin Schultz in 1978, and sisters, Marie Gatzka and Celestine Holtermann.    She was born Oct. 26, 1920 in Springfield to Frank and Kate (Cassidy) Gatzka. She attended and graduated from Springfield High School in 1938, after which she worked in Chicago and Minneapolis, before marrying Melvin Schultz at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield on Oct.2, 1963. They made their home in Springfield, where Rita raised her family until Melvin's death in 1978, after which she volunteered many years as school secretary at St Raphael's School. Rita was a lifetime member of St. Raphael's Catholic Church, and served as parish council secretary for a number of years.