HAUGEN, Alvin M. 1915-2000

ASK, HAUGEN, SORUM, GARDNER, ROVERUD

Posted By: IAGenWeb Volunteer
Date: 9/11/2010 at 19:34:12

Decorah Journal, Thursday, May 4, 2000

Alvin M. Haugen

Alvin M. Haugen, 84, of Caledonia, Minn., died Friday, April 28, 2000, at his home.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 2, at 11 a.m., at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Caledonia,. Minn., with the Rev. Rolf Storlie officiating.

Burial was at Evergreen Cemetery. The Haugen-Roble-Jandt Funeral Home in Caledonia handled arrangements.

Alvin was born May 22, 1915, in Whalen, Minn., the son of Albert A. and Mathea "Mattie" (Ask) Haugen.

Al graduated from Preston High School in 1933.

After graduation he had a milk route, where he sold and delivered bottled milk to stores, restaurants and homes in the village of Preston. In 1938 he entered the University of Minnesota Department of Mortuary Science and graduated from there in 1940.

Al then returned to Preston, Minn., where he apprenticed at the William Heitner Funeral Home until he was called to serve in the United States Army.

After the death of his father, Al was discharged from the service to take care of the family farm. On March 10, 1943, he married Ella Sorum at the Lutheran parsonage in Lanesboro, Minn.

In 1954, Al sold the family farm and they moved to Caledonia where he was employed by J.W. Potter Funeral Home. On Jan. 1, 1955, he bought out the business and built the existing location of the funeral home in 1957.

In addition to his funeral business, Al operated the Caledonia Ambulance Service and sold furniture and carpet. On Oct. 1, 1983, he sold the funeral business. On Nov. 12, 1984, Ella preceded Al in death.

Al married Helen Gardner Sept. 14, 1986, at Christ Lutheran Church in Preston, Minn. He spent many of his later years as a breeder and exhibitor of Hackney Ponies. Exhibits would include horse shows in many state fairs and many national horse shows located throughout the United States, such as Devon, Pa., and Louisville, Ken.

Al and his ponies won many awards such as the American Royal in Kansas City.

Al was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church of Caledonia, where he sang in the choir, and served on the Church Council, the Building Committee and the Endowment Committee.

He also was a member of both the National and the Minnesota Funeral Director's Association, the Loveless-Eikens American Legion Post No. 191 of Caledonia; a charter member of Ma-Cal-Grove Country Club; the American Hackney Horse Association; the Caledonia Lions Club and the Caledonia Chamber of Commerce.

Survivors include his wife, Helen of Caledonia daughter, Marilyn Haugen Roverud and husband Jeff of Decorah; a son, Gary and Barbara Haugen of Edina, Minn.; and three granddaughters, Kirsten Roverud Heine and husband David of Decorah, Suzanne Roverud Mireck and husband Corey of Memphis, Tenn., and Caroline Haugen of Edina, Minn.

There also are four stepchildren, Susan (Gary) McNear of Fort Myers, Fla., Carol (Robert) Solberg of Solon, Timothy (Roseann) Bremseth of Fountain, Minn., and Mark (Jill) Bremseth of Woodbury, Minn.; seven step-grandchildren; and two step-greatgrandchildren.

In addition to his first wife, Alvin Haugen was preceded in death by his parents.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.