The funeral service for Odean Charles Vangen will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 18, at First Lutheran Church, Ellendale. The Rev. Arne Halbakken will officiate. Burial will be in First Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Ellendale.

Odean died on Saturday, May 14, 2005, at Methodist Hospital in Rochester. He was 67 years old.

Odean was born in Steele County on May 28, 1937, the son of A. Carlyle and Wanda (Utpadel) Vangen. He had been a resident of Steele County for most of his life and was a 1955 graduate of Ellendale High School

On Nov. 5, 1977 Odean was united in marriage with Geraldine Distad at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Owatonna. They are members of First Lutheran Church in Ellendale.

Odean had farmed and worked for the Steele County Highway Department and was Assistant County Engineer. He was an Ellendale volunteer fireman. He was a baseball enthusiast and had been the organizer of the Ellendale Little League baseball team. He had been inducted into the Freeborn County Softball Hall of Fame, served as Minnesota Commissioner of Fast Pitch Softball, coached Geneva Liquors fastpitch softball team, and organized many tournaments. He had been a high school four sport letter winner.

Odean loved the outdoors – hunting and fishing, working with horses, dancing and particularly attending his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine of Ellendale; three children: Stuart “Chip” (Michelle) Vangen of Ellendale, Kara Vangen of Minneapolis, and Mitchell Vangen of Waseca; five grandchildren: Zachery, Makayla, Amaris, Brady and Carly; mother, Wanda Vangen of New Richland; sister, Joanne (Ronald “Chris”) Christensen of Geneva; sisterin-law, Sandra Vangen of White Bear Lake; and his first wife, Kathleen Glynn of Ellendale. Also surviving is his mother-in- law, Verdell Distad of Owatonna; sisters-inlaw, Diane (Don) Matejeck of Owatonna, Carolyn (Jim) VonRuden of Owatonna, and Sandra Thom of Villard, Minn.; one brother-in-law, Bruce (Carolyn) Distad of Clearwater, Minn.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, A. Carlyle Vangen; brother, Kenneth Vangen; and a brother in infancy.