Vernon Fjelstad, 1926-2019

Published 1:00 am Thursday, July 25, 2019

Funeral Services for Vernon A. “Larry” Fjelstad will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. John Holt will officiate. Visitation will be one hour before services at the church. Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery at a later date.

Vernon Fjelstad

Larry died Saturday July 20, 2019, at Minnesota Masonic Home in Bloomington. He was 92.

He was born Sept. 3, 1926, in Lake Mills, the son of Thomas Rudolph and Mabel (Flugum) Fjelstad.

Vernon “Larry” graduated from Lake Mills High School with the class of 1944 and then went to work helping on the family farm. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country in the U.S. Army Occupational Forces in Japan from 1946 until his honorable discharge in 1948.

He met Lorraine Stern at a dance on a ballroom floor, and they danced through life together for almost 70 years. They were married Oct. 23, 1949, at First Lutheran Church. Together they built their house on West Trail, where they lived until recent years.

His entire career was spent at Freeborn-Mower Rural Electric Association, first as a lineman, then a foreman, retiring as the line superintendent in 1989.

Proud of his service to his country, he was a member of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars, spending a lot of time playing cribbage and shooting the breeze with his comrades.

Throughout his life, Larry enjoyed bowling, gardening, horseshoes, a competitive game of cards, a good game of golf and was a passionate spectator of all kinds of sporting events.

A large circle of friends and his three sons and their families kept Larry fully engaged in life. Larry always enjoyed activities that brought everyone together — whether it be dancing, travel, cards, golf, dinner out or sporting events.

Larry is survived his wife, Lorraine; three sons, Kim (Julie) Fjelstad of Chaska, Dani (Tia) Fjelstad of Eden Prairie and Lon (Lois) Fjelstad of Apple Valley; grandchildren Amy (Andy), David (Erica) and their children Elijah and Abel, Tristan, Luke, Ryann, Jordan, Sarah (Ryan) and their children Jacob and Caitlin, Kristin (Justin) and their children Nora and Jackson, and Sean; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law Gloria Fjelstad, Olive and Patricia Stern, and Larry and Linda Stern; and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Thomas Rudolph and Mabel (Flugum) Fjelstad; brothers Wayne Fjelstad and Raymond Fjelstad and his wife, Delores; parents-in-law George and Bernice Stern; brothers-in-law Donald and Luvern Stern; nieces DeLynne (Fjelstad) Hengesteg and Nicole Fjelstad; and nephews Jerry Stern and Matthew Stern.