December 17, 2008
My father, Clarence “Pete” Albertson, died today. Childhood Clarence was born September 16, 1931, in Amery, Wisconsin, and raised on his family’s farm on Goose Lake in rural Polk County. As a lover of the outdoors, Clarence was attracted to Montana for its natural beauty and abundant hunting and fishing opportunities. He moved there after high school, paying for school by helping to construct Hungry Horse Dam in the summers. The Early Years After graduating in 1954 from the University of Montana at Missoula, Clarence was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He served his country as a Navigator-Bombardier aboard B-47 Stratojets in North Africa. He and my mother, Rosa Lee, were married on April 20, 1956, in Houston, Texas. After his military service, he taught school briefly on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Ronan, Montana. He then began a lifelong career in the heavy-duty truck business with the old International Harvester company.  In 1978, he bought the truck dealership in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The business prospered and in 1983, Clarence was a finalist for the American Truck Dealers’ “Dealer of the Year” award. Clarence and Rosa Lee had a good life together.  They enjoyed travel, involvement with their church, community organizations, and friends & family. The Latter Years Rosa Lee died on September 27, 1993, after a long battle with cancer. She spent her last days in a coma, only to awaken for a few minutes before her death to tell Clarence she loved him. Clarence retired in 1999. He remarried on August 9, 2002. His new wife moved out the summer of 2007 and they legally divorced in 2008. His latter years were complicated by prostate cancer, a loss of mobility, major depression, and the constant dramas of his second wife. He passed away peacefully and in his sleep sometime in the early morning of December 17th at home in Burlington, Washington. Pictures From His Life Pictures highlighting Clarence’s life can be viewed at: picasaweb.google.com/toddalbertson.com. A Video of Clarence and his beloved dog Kahuna counting can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVWzO0X8yO4. Final Arrangements At Clarence’s request, he was cremated. His funeral will be on Monday, April 20, 2008 at 10 AM (on what would have been my parents’ 53rd wedding anniversary) and held at: Holy Trinity United Methodist Church1606 165th AveCenturia, WI 54824-7449 715-485-3363 His ashes will be buried next to my mother, near the graves of Clarence’s mother, father, and grandparents at the rural Balsam Lake Cemetery in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin following the service. In lieu of flowers or cards, memorials can be sent in Clarence’s name to Holy Trinity United Methodist Church at the address above. Personal Reflections Clarence Albertson was a good man who touched the lives of many, and he will be missed. No matter how prepared one is for the death of a loved one, a certain feeling of loss comes when the event becomes reality. My consolation comes from the fact that my father had a relationship with God, and I know I will see him again in Heaven. If you’d like to have this same relationship with God, call 1-888-NEED-HIM or visit www.needhim.org.

My father, Clarence “Pete” Albertson, died today.

Childhood

Clarence was born September 16, 1931, in Amery, Wisconsin, and raised on his family’s farm on Goose Lake in rural Polk County.

As a lover of the outdoors, Clarence was attracted to Montana for its natural beauty and abundant hunting and fishing opportunities. He moved there after high school, paying for school by helping to construct Hungry Horse Dam in the summers.

The Early Years

After graduating in 1954 from the University of Montana at Missoula, Clarence was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He served his country as a Navigator-Bombardier aboard B-47 Stratojets in North Africa.

He and my mother, Rosa Lee, were married on April 20, 1956, in Houston, Texas.

After his military service, he taught school briefly on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Ronan, Montana.

He then began a lifelong career in the heavy-duty truck business with the old International Harvester company.  In 1978, he bought the truck dealership in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The business prospered and in 1983, Clarence was a finalist for the American Truck Dealers’ “Dealer of the Year” award.

Clarence and Rosa Lee had a good life together.  They enjoyed travel, involvement with their church, community organizations, and friends & family.

The Latter Years

Rosa Lee died on September 27, 1993, after a long battle with cancer. She spent her last days in a coma, only to awaken for a few minutes before her death to tell Clarence she loved him.

Clarence retired in 1999. He remarried on August 9, 2002. His new wife moved out the summer of 2007 and they legally divorced in 2008.

His latter years were complicated by prostate cancer, a loss of mobility, major depression, and the constant dramas of his second wife.

He passed away peacefully and in his sleep sometime in the early morning of December 17th at home in Burlington, Washington.

Pictures From His Life

Pictures highlighting Clarence’s life can be viewed at: picasaweb.google.com/toddalbertson.com.

A Video of Clarence and his beloved dog Kahuna counting can be seen at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVWzO0X8yO4.

Final Arrangements

At Clarence’s request, he was cremated. His funeral will be on Monday, April 20, 2008 at 10 AM (on what would have been my parents’ 53rd wedding anniversary) and held at:

Holy Trinity United Methodist Church
1606 165th Ave
Centuria, WI 54824-7449 
715-485-3363

His ashes will be buried next to my mother, near the graves of Clarence’s mother, father, and grandparents at the rural Balsam Lake Cemetery in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin following the service.

In lieu of flowers or cards, memorials can be sent in Clarence’s name to Holy Trinity United Methodist Church at the address above.

Personal Reflections

Clarence Albertson was a good man who touched the lives of many, and he will be missed. No matter how prepared one is for the death of a loved one, a certain feeling of loss comes when the event becomes reality.

My consolation comes from the fact that my father had a relationship with God, and I know I will see him again in Heaven. If you’d like to have this same relationship with God, call 1-888-NEED-HIM or visit www.needhim.org.