Albert Eugene LANGDON

LANGDON, STADTLANDER, SANFORD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/23/2014 at 11:52:06

August 2, 1922 ---- March 6, 2014

Memorial services for Albert Langdon will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 22, 2014, at Faith United Methodist Church in Spring Valley, with the Rev David Lieder officiating. Burial will take place in the Spring Valley Cemetery in the spring. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.

Albert Eugene Langdon, 91, died Thursday, March 6, 2014, at the Spring Valley [Minnesota] Senior Living. He was born Aug. 2, 1922, to James and Lucy Langdon in Rowan, Iowa. Albert attended Rowan Public School, graduating in 1940, where he was an outstanding outfielder on the baseball team. After graduation, he farmed with his dad and spent one summer performing with the Joey Chitwood Auto Thrill Show until enlisting in the Army. After his discharge, he married Ione Stadtlander on July 6, 1945. They started farming on their own and in 1960, purchased the farm near Ostrander where they raised grain and livestock. After retiring from farming, he worked as a farm machinery mechanic for Biel Implement in Spring Valley and Hadland and Osterud, Inc. in Ostrander. He and Ione raised three children, Bruce, Kent and Carol.

A World War II veteran, he was a paratrooper, Riflemen 745 qualified sharpshooter with the M-1 rifle, performed reconnaissance ahead of advancing troops and radioed the information back to company headquarters. He was awarded the European African Eastern Theatre Ribbon with one battle star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman badge and good conduct medal. He was a Civil Air Patrol member and enjoyed flying his Luscombe two-seat passenger airplane. As a CAP member, he helped man the ambulance at the local race track and provided search and rescue assistance. He loved riding motorcycle, owning a Harley when first married and later purchasing a Honda which he rode until the age of 82. He was happiest when he could help out his neighbors with mowing, snow blowing and mechanical repairs and spent many hours working in his yard. He especially enjoyed shooting pool with friends and family, stock car racing, fishing, playing Canasta, 500, Hearts and Rummikub. His granddaughters were his pride and joy and he and Ione spent lots of time caring for them in Oshkosh.

He was a member of the Faith United Methodist Church and a lifelong member of the American Legion and VFW. In 2011 he took the final Honor Flight trip out of Rochester to Washington, D.C.

He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother, Sena, wife, Ione, three sisters, two brothers and granddaughter, Rachel. Survivors include his children, Bruce and Donna Faye Langdon, Ash Flat, Ark., Kent and Diane Langdon, Oshkosh, Wis., Carol and Roger Sanford, Spring Valley; granddaughters, Joanna Langdon, Boston, Mass., and Catherine Langdon, Oshkosh, Wis. Hindt Funeral Home.

March 19, 2014
Post Bulletin - Rochester, Minnesota

http://www.hindtfuneralhomes.com/obits/obituary.php?id=456327