Mass was 11 a.m. Dec. 7 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice for Eileen Saldana, age 88, of Rice, who died Dec. 4, 2021, at her home in Rice. The Rev. Peter Kirchner officiated and burial was in the parish cemetery. Visitation was 4-8 p.m. Monday and one hour prior to services Tuesday at the church in Rice. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids.
Eileen was born Dec. 6, 1932, in Sauk Rapids to Harold and Kathryn (Schaefer) Damm. She married George Saldana in January 1953 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice. Eileen worked as a product inspector at Fingerhut for many years and retired in 1998. She is a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice where she was very active. She was also a foster grandparent at the Rice school for many years right up to a few weeks ago. She was a very proud lady who was very independent. She was very active and always on the go. She enjoyed spending time gardening, canning and most of all spending time with her family, especially her grandkids.
She is survived by her children, Kathy (Chuck) Balk of Brainerd; Mark (Roxie) of Rice; Gerald (Kim) of Sauk Rapids; Larry of Rice; sister, Joyce Saldana of Rice; 13 grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, husband George in 1971, sons, Harvey and George, grandson, Jesse, fiancée, Al Bieganek in 1977, sisters, and brother, Beatrice Haugan, Harriet Malikowski, Marion Saldana, and George Damm.
R-49-1B
