Merlin Gerald Rostad

Merlin Gerald Rostad died peacefully at home on Sunday, August 11, 2013. He was 100 years old and it was his 80th wedding anniversary. He was born in Zumbrota, MN April 8, 1913, the son of Martin Ludwig Rostad and Hannah Priscilla Benrud Rostad. Merlin and his brother Nels Carlot Rostad grew up in Comertown, Montana. Their childhood revolved around the family’s general store which included space for the local post office because Merlin’s parents were postmasters. Childhood responsibilities were: meeting the train each morning at 6:00 AM to load an outgoing mail bag and pick up the incoming bag, clerking in the general store and loading and hauling coal from nearby Coalridge to heat the house and store for the winter. For entertainment, the family had a little orchestra in which Merlin played trumpet and occasionally piano. They also built a grass tennis court and on hot summer days a special treat was to get an ice cream cone in a nearby town. Merlin’s strongest interest, however was painting. He attended Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, where he relished the opportunity to construct all of the sets for every play the drama club performed. Freshman year at Concordia, Merlin suffered an appendicitis and awoke from the haze of anesthesia to see his beautiful young nurse, Gladys Evelyn Holm. It was love at first sight. They later married and spent 75 years together until her death. Despite the Great Depression gripping the country, upon graduation in 1935, Merlin and Glady set off to seek their fortune in Chicago. Merlin also received a degree from the Chicago Art Institute, but the looming war opened opportunities for him in industry. Merlin and Glady moved to Cedarburg, WI, in 1949 and founded Rostad Aluminum Corp. in Grafton, WI, in 1953. The company still specializes in producing aluminum permanent mold castings for a variety of industrial applications. Merlin was active in the Milwaukee Symphony and the Milwaukee Art Museum and generously supported a variety of civic, artistic and music related charities in Cedarburg, Milwaukee and Chicago. In the mid 1980’s Merlin began designing large scale aluminum sculptures. As he often explained, every sculptor uses the tools available in his time and Merlin’s “hammer and chisel” was a computerized machine. His paintings and sculpture have been displayed in several locations. Merlin was Mayor of Cedarburg from 1956 to 1964, was a member of the Cedarburg-Grafton Rotary and was very active in Advent Lutheran Church. Merlin is survived by his children: Richard Rostad (Kathleen Houseman), Penelope Rostad, Susan Weil (Randy), five grandchildren: Christopher Rostad (Joellen Landy), Andrew Rostad (Christina Nall), Alana Rostad, Alexandra Weil, Aaron Weil and two great grandchildren: Savanna Rostad and Sophia Rostad. Visitation and funeral services will be held at Advent Lutheran Church, Cedarburg, WI, on Sunday, August 18th, 2013. Visitation will be from noon to 2:00 PM and the funeral service will begin at 2:00 PM followed by the burial at Zur Ruhe Cemetary in Cedarburg. Please make any donations to Advent Lutheran Church or the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.