Brady Muelken, 31, has been identified as the Mower County deputy who passed away Friday.

Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi confirmed Muelken, who’d been with the department longer than six years, died of natural causes.

Muelken grew up in Prior Lake and graduated from Prior Lake High School in 2003.

He attended the University of Minnesota, Duluth where he studied economics and business before going back to school at Rochester Community and Technical College to complete a law enforcement degree.

“It was clear that Brady had it in his DNA,” his obituary reads. “He was born to serve and protect.”

He first moved to Austin and worked as a correctional officer at the Mower County Jail before he eventually joined the Mower County Sheriff’s Office.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, with visitation one-hour prior at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake with the Rev. Dan Poffenberger officiating.