Garland Albers, 82 of Alexandria, MN died peacefully on January 19, 2019 surrounded by his family. He will be deeply missed by his beloved wife Sally, their children; Tom (Anne), Libby (Tim) Erickson, Cindy (Terry) Verschaetse, Jim (Leila); his grandchildren Emily, Sarah, Liz, Caroline, Eleanor, Abecca, Tyler, Colin, Bailey, Madison, Cameron and Keon; his great-grandchildren Charlie, Juliette, Kai, Riese and Tate; his sister Armajean (Joe) Jannach; brother-in-law Terry (Nancy) Swenson; sister-in-law, Jane Tambornino; numerous nieces and nephews all who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his parents Henry and Lydia.
Garland was born on August 16, 1936 in Fairhaven MN. He lived for a time in Long Lake, MN, graduating from Orono High School in 1954. While attending high school he met the love of his life, Sally Swenson.
They were married on August 16, 1958 beginning a 60-year odyssey. Their journey took them to Excelsior, Wayzata, Windom, Nevis, Panama City Beach and points around the globe, ending in Alexandria. Garland lived for the experiences and adventure that life offers, and he provided plenty of opportunities for us to see the USA in our Chevrolet.
He and our mother taught us well. We acquired his steadfast love of the Lord, his work-hard, play-hard, can-do attitude, how to conquer adversity, and to leave things better than how you found them. Garland was an accomplished outdoorsman and thrived anytime he found himself in the woods, fields, or on the water.
His real passion was fishing, but it was really never about the fish. It was more about the experience and having fun, because it was the stories he told after the trip that were the real trophies. He loved to tell stories.
And the truth is, he was much better at story telling than catching fish. To his family and friends, Garland will be remembered as the ultimate host and entertainer. He loved a good party or gathering.
Planning, procurement, preparation and presentation, he did it all, did it often, did it well, and loved doing it. It was always a special time to be among family and friends when Gar and Sal were in charge. His grandchildren are still trying to perfect his epic cheese ball recipe.
Garland was a man of passion and compassion who loved connecting with people. It didn’t matter where he was, or who he was with, it only took a few minutes for him to find the link that made for a memorable connection. He always seemed to know someone, who knew someone.
We will miss him in our lives, in our homes, in our kitchens, and at our gatherings. But, we are all truly blessed to have the memories of him forever in our hearts. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 2:30 PM at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria.
A Visitation will take place on Thursday, January 24, 2019 from 5-7 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria and also for one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.
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