Gordon Wilhelm AASGAARD

AASGAARD, MYKLEBY, MONSON, LADD, WEBER, JOHNSON, JENSEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/22/2007 at 23:30:05

February 25, 2003
Mason City Globe Gazette

LAKE MILLS - Gordon Wilhelm Aasgaard, 96, of Lake Mills, died Friday (Feb. 21, 2003) at the Albert Lea Medical Center in Albert Lea, Minn. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, with the Rev. Roger Dykstra officiating. Burial will take place at Salem Lutheran Cemetery in Lake Mills. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Mittelstadt Funeral Home in Lake Mills and again one hour prior to services on Friday at the church.

Gordon Wilhelm Aasgaard, born April 2, 1906, was the son of Martin A. and Ragna (Mykleby) Aasgaard. He lived his entire life in Lake Mills, being baptized and confirmed at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills and graduated from Lake Mills High School in the "Class of 1924". He played quarterback on the first football team at Lake Mills and went to Waldorf College where he also played football, toured with the band and small groups, and graduated in 1926. On May 20, 1927, he married Opal Monson at Salem Lutheran Church. After college he assisted his father who was the local postmaster and they were partners in the newspaper business, The Lake Mills Graphic. Besides the newspaper, he was also in the printing and publishing business, operating the Graphic Publishing Company until 1985. In the late 1930s and early '40s he was a partner in the Owatonna Photo News which was the first offset newspaper in the Upper Midwest. Together with his wife, Opal, they were in the retail business in Lake Mills where they owned Milady's Style Shop and they were partners in starting similar retail businesses in Eagle Grove, Mason City, Ida Grove and Mankato.

Throughout his career in the business world, he was a willing and capable mentor to many individuals. He was always willing to share his knowledge and resources with others who were starting a business. Gordon was a charter member of the Lions Club in Lake Mills and also a past president of both the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding member of the Lake Mills Development Group. For approximately 25 years he was secretary of the Waldorf College Board. The University of Iowa chapter of Sigma Delta Chi made him an honorary member. He was a member and past president of the Iowa Press Association. In 1961 he received the Master Editor Award for the State of Iowa. In 1984 he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Waldorf College. He was a kind and patient Christian man and demonstrated that many times to his family, his friends and his community. He loved music and enjoyed playing the piano. He was also an avid sports fan. It was always very evident that he took pride in his hometown, Lake Mills.

Gordon is survived by one daughter, Betty Aasgaard, of Burnsville, Minn.: two granddaughters, Carolyn Ladd and her husband, Jonathan Weber, of Hamden, Conn. and Roselyn Weber and her husband, Philip Weber; and two great-grandchildren, Britta and Noah Weber, all of Austin, Texas; his sister-in-law, Helen Aasgaard; and his nephew, Rick Aasgaard and his wife, Karen, of Lake Mills; niece, Wendy Aasgaard Johnson, of Apple Valley, Minn.; and another nephew, Mike Jensen and his wife, Gloria, of Osseo, Wis. He was preceded in death by his wife, Opal, in 1966; his parents; two brothers, Marlin and John; and one sister, Olga Jensen. Mittelstadt Funeral Home, (641) 592-0221.