Allan L. Westerlund

Westerlund, Allan L. Age 89. Passed away Oct. 2, 2014, at Deephaven, Minn. Longtime Bloom-ington resident. Survived by wife Velora (Val) and daughters Monica (Eric) and Genell. Preceded in death by parents Al and Elvina Westerlund and son-in-law John Lemley. Al was proud to hail from Malmo, Minn., where his parents owned a general store and resort on the shores of his beloved Mille Lacs Lake. He cherished a childhood of fishing, hunting, playing with friends and his dog Billy Boy, enter-taining the community with his accordion and snagging as many baseballs as "pop" was willing to hit him. He attended school and played sports in Aitkin, receiving his WWII draft notice on the same day he graduated from high school. Two weeks later he was enlisted in the U.S. Navy and on his way to basic training. He served on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Kasaan Bay and was injured during the invasion of southern France in 1944. He was honorably discharged and enrolled at Bemidji State Teachers College, where he majored in industrial arts and participated in baseball, basketball, football and boxing. His athletic accomplishments earned him an induction into the Bemidji State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He also played in a traveling baseball league for 13 years, racked up a .423 batting average and ultimately tried out for the Minneapolis Millers and Boston Braves. His first teaching job brought him to Brooten, Minn., where he met Velora Peterson, an elementary school teacher. They were married in 1951. Al coached Brooten High School's baseball, football and basketball teams and has stayed in touch with many of his student athletes to this day. Al and Val made many lifelong friends while in Brooten and built their first house together there before moving to Bloomington in 1959. He became an agent with American Family Insurance, retiring in 1994. Although an only child, Al was surrounded by cousins, aunts and uncles who remained important to him throughout his life. When he met Val, his family size increased exponentially as she is one of 10 children. Even though she is Norwegian and he 100 percent Swedish, he embraced her family as his own. He loved his family and friends and always had a special treat and a warm hug ready for the dogs in his life. (He even knew the dentist's receptionist had a dog so he would bring in a treat for him.) He was a true sports enthusiast, sharing his passion with his wife and daughters. Together they caught many a walleye on Mille Lacs, attended Gopher football games at Memorial Stadium and gathered around the television Sunday afternoons to watch Bud Grant's Minnesota Vikings dominate opponents. But baseball always topped his list. He rarely missed a televised Minnesota Twins game, staying up to the very end of each game, even if they were playing on the West Coast. He even caught this season's final series. He will be missed. We extend our sincere thank-you for the com-passionate care he received from Mary Claire O'Brien and her team at Lifesprk and the loving staff at Deephaven Woods. Visitation will be held Thurs., Oct. 9, 2014, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 8600 Fremont Ave. So., Bloomington, with a noon memorial service following at the church. Memorials preferred to the Aitkin County Historical Society, P.O. Box 215, 20 Pacific St. SW, Aitkin, MN 56431, www.aitkincohs.org, or Top Dog Foundation, 5120 Vega Ave., New Germany, MN 55364, www.topdogfoundation.org. Washburn-McReavy, 952-975-0400

Tributes

Allan L. Westerlund

October 2, 2014

Tributes

Allan L. Westerlund

October 2, 2014

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203