Hazel Gudmonson, 94, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The funeral service for Hazel A. Gudmonson of Thorne Crest Retirement Center, Albert Lea, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Grace Lutheran Church. The Rev. Todd Walsh will officiate. Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, and one hour before the service at the church.

Hazel died on Sunday, Sept. 16, 2007, at Thorne Crest Retirement Center.

She was 94.

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Hazel Adeline Gudmonson was born on Jan. 25, 1913, in Center Township, Winnebago County, Iowa, the daughter of Abraham and Anna Tweeten. She was baptized and confirmed at the Winnebago Lutheran Church in Lake Mills, Iowa. She attended rural schools near Lake Mills, and graduated from Lake Mills High School in 1929. She taught school in the area for a few years.

On June 2, 1935, Hazel married Merle G. Gudmonson of Forest City, Iowa,

at Winnebago Lutheran Church, Lake Mills, Iowa. They farmed in the vicinity for a number of years. They then purchased a small grocery store in Albert Lea, &8220;Front Street Grocery&8221;, which they operated for five years. Hazel then worked for Wayne’s Grocery, and Larson’s Grocery, until she retired in 1980.

Hazel was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Albert Lea since 1954. She was active in WELCA, Circles, altar guild, wedding committee, sewing group, Albert Lea Senior Citizens, Shriners Auxiliary, and volunteered at Thorne Crest Retirement Center until she moved there in 2003.

Hazel is survived by three grandsons, Theodore Willette of California, James Willette and his wife Melanie of California and Michael Willette and his wife Karen of Florida; great-grandchildren, Stephanie Willette of Florida, Mindy Castro of California and Sean and Brandy Willette of Florida; step great- grandchildren: Michael Behrens of California and Michelle Behrens of Texas; special friend Cathy Legried and her husband Gary of Albert Lea; two sisters: Julia Levad of Lake Mills, Iowa, and Valborg Bothum of Rochester, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Merle; daughter JoAnn Behrens; son-in-law Otis Behrens; three sisters, Eleanor Steffenson, Esther Fjone and Myrtle Thompson; and three brothers, Oscar Tweeten, Irving Tweeten and Arnold Tweeten.

Hazel always had a friendly smile and a positive outlook on life.

She will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her.