Lillibridge, Alanson 1918-2010
LILLIBRIDGE, SMOCK, SMIRL, AMAN, ALLEN, GOODYEAR, THOMAS, GREBIN, SWIFT, HORTE, MEYER, KOLBE, PRICE, FRANCO, JUVE, RUNNING, KINSEL, PAYNE, PEREZ
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/26/2012 at 17:04:30
Alanson “Lance” Lillibridge, age 92, of Decorah, IA, died Thursday evening, August 26, 2010 at Aase Haugen Home in Decorah.
Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah with Rev. Bryan Robertson and Rev. Wayne Hagen officiating. Private Family inurnment will be at a later date in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah, with full military honors.
Visitation will be from 4:00-7:00 P.M. Monday, August 30 at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah and on Tuesday one hour before the service at the church.
Alanson “Lance” Lillibridge was born June 18, 1918 in Greeley, IA, the son of Alanson and Myrtle (Smock) Lillibridge. At the young age of one, his parents divorced. His mother remarried Walter Smirl, who was in the dam-building business, a job which required the family to move wherever his job took him. He graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1936. When he was a junior in high school, Lance had met his future wife, Adeline Vick.
After graduation, Lance worked for Martin Winkie, doing odd jobs at his grocery store. By 1940, he had relocated to Colesburg to run a grocery store. In the fall of that year, Lance returned to Decorah to work for the Grangaard Supermarket until April of 1941. He then traveled to Des Moines to enlist in the U.S. Army before heading to Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO, and on to Camp Claiborne, LA. In January 1942, Lance left Camp Claiborne for Fort Dicks, NJ, before applying for officer candidate school (OCS) in Fort Brag, N.C. On a two-week furlough, he and Adeline were married on July 18, 1942 in Kahoka, MO. Adeline returned to Decorah and Lance left for OCS in Fort Sill, OK. He graduated in late December and Adeline joined him in Gainesville, TX. When Lance was accepted to flight school, she returned to Decorah. In January of 1944, Lance traveled with 24 other pilots and 50 mechanics to Scotland, prior to being assigned to the Second Armored Division. They were in the Army, but were trained by the Air Force to fly a Piper Cub. He logged over 2,000 hours. At Tidworth Barracks, England, Lance got his first plane, labeled L-49. The L was for Lillibridge. Lance was a forward observer, and his job was to scout from the air. In June 1945, Lance returned to the states where he was awarded the European Theatre Ribbon with five battle stars, an Air Medal with eight oak leaf clusters and the Silver Star for gallantry in action. Back in Decorah, Lance had every intention of going to Luther College on the GI bill, but his father-in-law, Carl Vick, asked him if he could spend a year working for him at Vick's Plumbing and Heating first. He retired from Vick’s in 1984.
Lance was a very active member of Decorah Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council, and was a member of V.F.W. and Oneota Golf and Country Club. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling, softball and golf. He also liked to dance. Lance and Adeline were in a square dance club. They spent many winters in Florida and Texas. He loved sports whether it was playing, watching or talking about them. He also enjoyed his daily coffee groups while still working and even more after he retired. In retirement Lance and Adeline started to make lefse which the family enjoyed during holidays. He was proud of his lefse making skills.
Lance became a resident of Aase Haugen Home on October 14, 2009. He died there on Thursday evening, August 26, 2010 at the age of 92.
Lance was preceded in death by his parents; his step-father Walter Smirl, two sisters; Darlene Aman and Colleen Allen; and one grandson, David Goodyear.
Lance is survived by his wife Adeline of Decorah; four children: Mary (Henry) Thomas of Branson, MO, Jean (John) Grebin of Decorah, Kay (Jim) Swift of Rolla, MO and Jim (Renee) Lillibridge of Decorah; 14 grandchildren; Debra Horte in the U.S. Navy in Virginia Beach, VA, Deann (Dennis) Meyer of Chilton, WI, Dannice (Kevin) Kolbe of Rowley, IA, Dannell (Steve) Price of Independence IA, Devon Goodyear (special friend Dinorah) of Houston, TX, Cindy (Tony) Franco of Matthews, NC, Tanya (Darrin) Juve of Chanhassen, MN, Mitchell Running (special friend Kristi) of Boise, ID, Shane (Kelly) Kinsel of Cheyenne, WY, Shannon (Randy) Payne of Steamboat Springs, CO, Stephanie Kinsel of Laramie, WY, Sherry (Marco) Perez of Steamboat Springs, CO, JJ and Peter Lillibridge of Decorah; 16 step-grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be given to Aase Haugen Home or Decorah Community School District Foundation.
Source: Fjelstul Funeral Home database
Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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