Arthur Randall, 95, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Funeral services for Arthur Leonard Randall, 95, of Albert Lea, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Calvary Baptist Church. The Rev. Roger Davies and the Rev. Glen Stevens will officiate. Interment will be in the Hillcrest Cemetery with military honors accorded by the Freeborn County Veterans Servicemen’s organization. Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the services at the Church. To sign the guest book, goto www.bayviewfuneral.com

Arthur died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2007, in Marysville, Wash., from a massive heart attack.

Arthur Randall was born on March 29, 1912, son of Leonard George Randall and Mary (Irish) Randall in Ankeny, Iowa.

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He is preceded in death by his wife, Rozena; four sisters; Clara Biery, Edna Roberts, Laura Hantleman, and Barbara Hetler; and two brothers Clifford and Warren Randall.

He is survived by his children: Ronna (Franklin) Belshan, Donna (Bruce) Carman, and Leonard (Lois) Randall; grandchildren: Debra and James Viktora, Pamela and Craig Peterson, Timothy and Melody Randall, Lisa and Randy Picklesimer, Andrew and Roselia Randall, Katie and Gerald Touchstone, David and Claudia Carman, Sarala Carman, and Leela and Phil Fryer; 21 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Art was a chef in a restaurant in St. Paul when he met his wife Rozena Amelsberg. They were married on Oct. 10, 1936. When times became tough in the early years of World War II, Art went to Alaska for two years to serve as a chef for the road crews building the Al-Can Highway. He met the Lord through a missionary there and became a born-again believer in 1941. When he came back from Alaska, Rose accepted the Lord as her savior also. Art was drafted into the Marines for the years 1943-1945 and was stationed in Guam where he served as a cook. After World War II was over, Art started to farm and continued crop-farming for 24 years. And in 1987, after raising hogs for 18 years in Hollandale, Art and Rose sold their farm to their grandson and &8220;retired&8221; to a townhouse in Albert Lea.

After their three children left the &8220;nest,&8221; Art and Rose took in foster children for more than 10 years and were given recognition by Freeborn County for their faithful service to the needy children.

Art was a Gideon from 1959 to the present, and shared the ministry of the organization in many churches in southcentral Minnesota. He has also been an active member of Calvary Baptist Church of Albert Lea &8212; teaching adult Sunday School classes, serving on the Deacon board and involved in children&8217;s ministry as a bus pastor for many years until into his late 80s.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Gideons.