Earl Albertson, 98

June 17, 1920 —
Feb. 25, 2019
 
Ridgeway - Earl Albertson, age 98, of Ridgeway, Iowa, died on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019 at Accura Healthcare in Cresco, Iowa.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, March 4, 2019 at Peace Lutheran Church in Ridgeway with Pastor Jeff Hansen officiating. Burial will be in Lincoln Lutheran Cemetery, rural Ridgeway, with full military honors provided by Decorah’s Veterans and Military Organizations and U.S. Navy personnel.
Visitation will be on Monday beginning at 9:30 a.m., one hour before the service, at Peace Lutheran Church.  
Earl Emeroy Albertson was born on June 17, 1920 to Herman and Ada (Hove) Albertson on a farm in Lincoln Township, Winneshiek County, Iowa. He was baptized and confirmed at Lincoln Lutheran Church by Rev. D.C. Jordahl. He attended country school and one year at Ridgeway High School before staying home to help with the farm. 
Earl joined the U.S. Navy in l942. He was stationed on the Bermuda Island with the B-24 Bomber Squadron patrolling the Atlantic Ocean and then transferred to Norfolk, Va. as the Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class and Plane Captain on the B-24. He received an Honorable Discharge on Nov. 16, 1945. He was a member of the Ridgeway American Legion for many years and also the VFW in Decorah, Iowa.
On Dec. 9, 1944, he was united in marriage to Gertrude (Irene) Hovden at the Madison/ Lincoln Parsonage by Rev. Quill. They lived in Norfolk and Chicago until the war was over and then returned home and started farming near Ridgeway. His greatest enjoyment was working the fields and planting in the spring, watching the crops grow and harvesting his crops in the fall. They retired in l984 and moved into Ridgeway.
Earl was active in Lincoln/Peace Lutheran Churches, serving on councils and the Lincoln Cemetery Board. He was co-chairman of the 1992 Ridgeway 125th Quasquicentennial and also instrumental in getting cable television into Ridgeway. He was an avid “Cubbies” fan and Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball fan. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends playing cards, going to dances, traveling and going to his grandchildren’s activities. He was especially proud of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Earl is survived by his daughter, Wanda (Art) Swestka of Protivin, Iowa; his three grandchildren, Shelli (Chris) Robins, of Indianola, Iowa, Kirk (Cheri) Swestka of Wichita, Kan. and Stacy (Craig) Straw of Alleman, Iowa; his great-grandchildren, Caitlyn, Callie and Kyra Robins, Kaleb Swestka, Avery Straw and Mykaela, Gabby and Joey SanMiguel; and great-great-grandchildren, Elli Jo, Keegan, Annabelle, Lennon and Rowan; his sister, Shirley (Ralph) Arneson of Decorah; his sister-in-law, Margaret Arneson of Decorah; and his nieces and nephew.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Irene on Oct. 15, 2014; his parents; his in-laws, Anton and Alma Hovden; his sister, Lucille (Hartvig) Running; and Irene’s siblings, Orville Hovden, Cora (Harold) Grice, Joseph (Dorothy) Hovden, Alice (Jack) Callison, Oscar Hovden and Ethel (Bud) Drape; and brother-in-law, Stanley Arneson.
Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at www.fjelstul.com.

Cresco Times

Phone: 563-547-3601
Fax: 563-547-4602

Address:
Cresco TPD
214 N. Elm Street
Cresco, IA 52136

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