The funeral service for Howard &8220;Jurgy&8221; Francis Jorgenson will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, March 16, 2007 at First Lutheran Church, Albert Lea.

The Rev. Dan Baker will officiate.

Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea and one hour before the service at the church. Military honors will be accorded by the Albert Lea and Ellendale veterans organizations.

Howard died on Sunday, March 11, 2007, at his home in Ellendale.

He was 87 years old.

Howard was born on Aug. 22, 1919, in Blooming Prairie, the son of Chester and Rena (Rasmussen) Jorgenson.

He attended school in rural Ellendale and Albert Lea.

On June 17, 1939, he was united in marriage with Irene Qualey in Albert Lea.

During their marriage they lived in Albert Lea and they moved to rural Ellendale in 1950 when they bought their farm.

They are members of First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

During World War II Howard served in the U.S. Army from 1944-46.

He served in the Philippines with the 292nd Joint Assault and Signal Company.

As a young boy he set pins at an Albert Lea bowling alley.

He worked as a carpenter in Albert Lea (helping build the Albert Lea High School), California and Las Alamos, N.M.

He worked for Interstate Power Company in Albert Lea, retiring in 1981. In 1950 Howard and Irene bought a farm in rural Ellendale and he lived there until his death.

Howard was a member of the Ellendale American Legion, Sons of Norway, and the Farmers Union.

He enjoyed working crossword puzzles, watching the news and sports on television, playing ping pong and pool, hunting, and music – particularly listening to bands at the Edgewater Band Shell, and dancing.

Howard is survived by his wife, Irene (Qualey) Jorgenson of Ellendale; five daughters:

Fran Strodtman of Isanti, Mary R. (Dwight) DeMaine of Minneapolis, Carol (Larry) Spear of Granada, Susan G. Jorgenson of Isanti and Lori (Teague Brennan) Jorgenson of St. Paul; nine grandchildren:

Julie (Todd) Cveykus, Lisa (Mike) Lindgren, Roger Strodtman Jr., Brian (Cathy) Spear, Derek (Sarah) Spear, Beau (Kim) Spear, Farrah (Jason) Olson, Jessica Arnold, and Tiernan Brennan-Jorgenson; 21 great- grandchildren:

Emily (Brandon Boettcher), Kelly, and Courtney Cveykus, Joshua and Dustin Shugren, Ashley and Noah Lindgren, Mason and Nicholas Strodtman, Cole, Jesse, Zachary, Taylor, Alexander, Abbigail, Devyn, Casha, Carter and Ashton Spear, Brynn Olson and Rob Gonzalez; two great-great- grandchildren:

Lillah Boettcher and Quentin Boettcher.

He is also survived by his siblings:

Lloyd, Helen Allen, Dorothy Boettcher and Chester Jorgenson Jr.; and by Carol Olson, De Weber, Jim Arnold and Sue Enright.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Rena Jorgenson; two brothers: Bernard and Eugene; great grandson, Jacob.

Howard was a strong, but gentle soul and will be greatly missed by his friends and loving family.