Obituary of Merlyn Vernie Hotvedt

Merlyn Vernie Hotvedt passed away on Oct 19, 2023 St Louis Park, MN

Merlyn was born Jan 27, 1934 in rural Kensington MN to Henry and Lizzie(Gunderson) Hotvedt, the ninth of nice children. He was baptized and confirmed at Lands Lutheran Church in Hoffman MN. He later was confirmed into the Catholic Church in the 1990’s.

On May 5th 1956 he was married to Catherine Rutten of Butler MN in St Mary’s Catholic Church in Alexandria MN.

He was employed at Clarks Oil Co. and Syvrud Ford in Alexandria until 1963 when the family moved to Illinois where he joined the SJ Groves Construction Co. for their Carlyle IL and Shelbyville IL lock and dam sites in parts aquisition. In 1970 he was assigned back to MN to manage Glencoe Motors which SJ Groves had acquired, and later Crossroads Ford, a new dealership in Lake Elmo where he was also general manager, and where the family established residence. In 1981 he was assigned back to the construction portion of SJ Groves as assistant equipment manager when they got out of the automotive business. He went to work for Phillipi Equipment in 1990 when SJ Groves went out of business and retired with that company in 1996.

Merlyn is remembered for his unflagging devotion to his family, strong work ethic, knowledge of all things automotive, ability to fix almost anything mechanical, and love of animals. Also notable for him was a passive stubbornness which is a trait common among the Hotvedt family.

He is survived by wife Catherine(Rutten) and children, Steve(Joanne) Roxanne, and Pamela(Todd) as well as 9 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by 3 sisters, Anna Mae Heintzelman, Ethel Thue, Edith Hedstrom, and 5 brothers, Orren, Howard, Kenneth, Bennie, and Harlan.