Gilbertson, Allan (1937-2013)
GILBERTSON, TWEETEN, HEITLAND, MEYER, HAGARTY, HIGBEE
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 2/6/2013 at 15:52:38
Allan Gilbertson
June 29, 1937 - January 29, 2013FOREST CITY - Allan Gilbertson, 75, of Forest City, died on Tuesday, January 29, 2013, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.
Allan was born on June 29, 1937, to Leonard and Olive (Tweeten) Gilbertson. He graduated from Forest City High School in 1955, Waldorf College in 1957, and Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls.
He married Donna (Heitland) Gilbertson on November 26, 1958, and to this union three children were born, Mark, Dennis, and Mary.
A favorite teacher for many, Al had an extraordinary career teaching high school advanced math. In addition, he coached almost every girls' and boys' sport at one time or another. He taught in Wellsburg and Rolfe before returning home to Forest City in 1972. Al's greatest passion was girls' track and field. In Rolfe, he coached two state championship teams in 1967 and 1968 when all schools were in one class. At Forest City, he coached several state champion events, and his teams won many conference championships. Inducted into the Rolfe Athletic Hall of Fame and the Forest City Education Hall of Fame, he recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Forest City High School.
Al was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and a former member of the Forest City Lions' Club. He spent many summers doing exterior painting in the area. He painted with other teachers and also had a paint crew with his kids. In his spare time, he enjoyed treasure hunting, walking all over town with his metal detector looking for coins and treasures.
Al and Donna spent fourteen winters at Fiesta Village in Mission, Texas. They have many dear friends from Forest City and Fiesta Village.
Al was a devoted husband, a loving and caring father, and a proud and generous grandfather. He and Donna loved supporting their grandkids at their athletic and fine arts events.
Al is survived by Donna, his wife of fifty-three years; his children, Mark (Rita) and Denny (Beth,) all of Forest City, and Mary (Scott) Meyer, of Dougherty; his grandchildren, Robby, Reid, Holly, and Bailey Gilbertson and Justin and Morgan Meyer as well as a step-granddaughter, Alison Hagarty; a brother, James (Karen), of Prairie Village, Kansas; and his sisters- and brothers-in-law, Shirley (Jerry) Higbee, Butch (Jean) Heitland, and Gescha Heitland, all of Lake Mills; as well as many nieces, nephews, extended relatives, friends, and former students.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Olive Gilbertson; his in-laws, Edward and Marion Heitland, his brothers- and sisters-in-law, Jim (Marilyn) Heitland and Dave (Mae and Betty) Heitland.
Visitation will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 PM, Thursday, January 31, 2013, at the Petersen Lund Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark Street, Forest City, and will continue one hour prior to services at the church. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM, Friday, February 1, 2013, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Pastor Rod Hopp officiating. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery in Forest City.
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