Funeral services for Martin Scherb, 94, formerly of Kiester will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. James Kassera will officiate. Interment will be at American Lutheran Church Cemetery in Kiester at 2:30 p.m. Visitation will be at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home in Albert Lea from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.

Martin Conrad John Scherb was born Jan. 22, 1920, in Nunda Township in Freeborn County to Bernhardt and Maria (Obermeyer) Scherb. He was baptized at Concordia Bear Lake Lutheran Church by the Rev. Eckoff. He received three years of instruction and was confirmed at Bear Lake church on Sept. 2, 1934, by the Rev. William Neumann. He attended Freeborn County country school district No. 42 and graduated from Emmons High School in 1937. Martin farmed with his parents near Bear Lake until January 1948 when he attended Lincoln Welding School in Cleveland, Ohio. Following school, he worked for the Dopplehammer brothers in Conger as a blacksmith and welder for three years. On May 30, 1950, he was united in marriage with Mabel Beiser at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Conger by his uncle Rev. George Obermeyer assisted by Rev. Rudolph Inselmann. They were the first couple married in their newly chartered church. The couple lived in Conger for 1 1/2 years and then in Albert Lea for 1 1/2 years. In early 1951, Martin began work at Universal Milking Machine Co. as a heli-arc welder for two years. Martin and Mabel moved to rural Kiester on March 1, 1953, and farmed there five years. On Feb. 1, 1958, the family moved to a farm they purchased south of Kiester and farmed there until his retirement. After 38 years on their farm they moved back to Albert Lea in 1996.

Martin was a lifelong, faithful member of several Lutheran churches, including St. Paul’s and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Kiester and Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. He served many years on the church council in Kiester, including as council president for three years at St. Paul’s. He taught Sunday school for 30 years at Bear Lake, St. John’s (Walters), St. Paul’s and Our Savior’s (Kiester) Lutheran churches. He helped start the men’s prayer breakfasts in Kiester, and was an active member of The Gideons International for more than 40 years. Martin was widely appreciated for his unquestionable integrity, devotion to family and unwavering faith.

Martin enjoyed his family and friends, as well as woodworking, photography, antique machinery, welding, traveling and gardening.  In spite of cardiac surgery and more than 30 years of heart disease, Martin traveled extensively throughout the United States, and made two trips to Europe to locate German relatives.

Survivors include his children Rosella (Ray) Hanson of Sioux Falls, S.D., Barbara (Tom Fuller) Scherb of Franklin, N.C., Timothy (Mary) Scherb of Valley Springs, S.D., and Cynthia (John) Stumpf of Bella Vista, Ariz.; grandchildren Catherine Parrin of Sioux Falls, Michael Hanson of Mitchell, S.D., and Jacob and Carly Scherb of Valley Springs; and one great-grandchild, Madeline Rose Parrin of Sioux Falls; sisters-in-law Phyllis and Janet Scherb and Marjorie and Marvel Beiser of Albert Lea; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Martin was preceded in death by his wife; parents; son-in-law, Larry Mitchell; one sister, Irma Hagen; and five brothers, Paul, Philip, Lucas, Julius and Eldo; brothers-in-law Fred and William Beiser; sisters-in-law Mildred Scherb, Marjorie Scherb, Grace Beiser and Phyllis Beiser; and nephew, Gregory Scherb.