by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
A deceased local veteran, Roman Notch, left a generous trust donation to the Church of St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Notch’s $58,000 donation was made in two contributions over two years.
Dan Thielman, whose wife Darlene is Notch’s niece, said he believes most of the funds were used to help with costs for the new Heritage Hall parish center.
Notch, who died at age 92 in 2007, was the only remaining living member of his immediate family.
He was the 13th of 15 children born to Barbara and John Notch, and grew up on a farm located north of Kay’s Kitchen. Notch attended the St. Joseph Lab School and St. John’s Prep School, and was the only one of his siblings who attended high school.
During the years of the Great Depression, Notch worked on many Civilian Conservation Corps projects throughout Minnesota.
He later entered the U.S. Army and served almost three years in the South Pacific, during World War II. Notch was awarded the Silver Star for heroism in combat.
After returning from his military service, he worked at the Veterans Administration in St. Cloud and farmed the family farm. Notch was a bachelor all of his life.
“Roman was a man who was direct, but was kind and gentle at the same time,” Thielman said.
He said many of the parishioners of the Church of St. Joseph expressed their gratitude for the donation.
Notch was the great-grandnephew of Missionary Father Francis Pierz and his great-grandmother was Apolonia (Pierz) Notch, Pierz’s sister. Apolonia is buried in the St. Joseph parish cemetery.
According to a publication, Father Francis Pierz, Missionary, by Sister Grace McDonald, O.S.B., published by the Bureau of Education Diocese of St. Cloud, Pierz was the founder of several Catholic parishes including St. Joseph, St. Augusta, St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids. He also helped establish several Indian missions, including Crow Wing, Mille Lacs and Red Lake.
Roman Notch is pictured in this old 1946 photo taken of military members. His Trust recently made a generous donation to the Church of St. Joseph and the funds were used to help with costs for the Heritage Hall parish center. WWII veterans at a memorial Mass for Walter Mayer are the following: (front row from left to right) Willie Klein, Bob Viehauser, Ray Pfannenstein, Gene Klein, Heinie Schulte, Herb Schneider, Gary Reber, Art Reber, Victor Danzl, Carl Reber, Norb Rennie, Eugene Friederich, Elmer Philippi, Roman Reber, Ed Danzl, Martin Pfannenstein and Clarence Philippi; (back row) Melvin Martin, Hack Nierengarten, Roman Berg, LeRoy Klein, unidentified, Cyril Schneider, Fred Schroeder, Cyril Notch, unidentified, Leo Nierengarten, Roman Notch, John Schneider, Alfred Pinault, Ebby Danzl, Mike Nierengarten, Edwin Notsch and unidentified.
