64640_Alton Clair_Halvorson
St. Ansgar — Alton Clair Halvorson, age 95, passed away on Saturday, April 13, 2013, at the Good Samaritan Center, St. Ansgar, Iowa.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at First Lutheran Church, St. Ansgar, Iowa
Visitation will be from 4 until 7 p.m. today, Monday, April 15, at Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home in St. Ansgar and one hour before the funeral service on Tuesday.
Burial will be in First Lutheran Cemetery in St. Ansgar.
Alton was born August 5, 1917, at Park Rapids, Minn., to Clarence and Lydia (Larsen) Halvorson. At age three, the family moved to St. Ansgar, Iowa, where he attended school and graduated in 1935.
He was a lifelong member of First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar. After high school, he worked for area farmers and hauled cream for the local creamery.
He joined the Army in March 1941 where he was involved for 55 months with the 113 Calvary Division and Signal Corps. He served in Central Europe in Belgium, Germany, Italy and France, where he took part in the Normandy Invasion. He received the Bronze Star for Heroic Action and also a Good Conduct Medal while attaining the rank of sergeant.
In 1996 the French president came to Iowa and personally presented Alton a gold medal and plaque for his participation in the French liberation.
Following his honorable discharge in 1945, he started farming north of St. Ansgar and lived there his entire life. He was an active 4-H leader, church deacon, chairman of First Lutheran Church building committee, member of the Iowa Corn Growers, Registered Holstein Association, and the American Legion.
Alton Halvorson and Allene Rosenberg were united in marriage March 23, 1946, at Rock Creek Lutheran Church, rural St. Ansgar.
Alton is survived by his wife, Allene; sons Wayne (Kathy) Halvorson of Chatfield, Minn., and Curt (Annette) Halvorson of St. Ansgar along with seven grandchildren, Kimberly (Andy) deLeon, Lakeville, Minn., Brian (Emily) Halvorson, Eyota, Minn., Ben (Jennifer) Halvorson, Chatfield, Minn., Julie (Mike) Sogla, Northfield, Minn., and Nick (Anna) Halvorson, Thomas (Leah) Halvorson and Valerie (Cory) Johnson all of St. Ansgar, and 14 great-grandchildren. Also surviving is his sister-in-law, Betty Halvorson of Casa Grande, Ariz.
Alton was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Gerald Halvorson, Casa Grande, Ariz., and his sister Esther Quam, Minneapolis, Minn. Also preceding him in death were brothers/sisters-in-laws Roy and Savera Rosenberg, Lawrence and Esther Rosenberg, Elmer and Pearl Rosenberg, Rueben Rosenberg, Harvey and Irene Boettcher, and Melvin Quam.
Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, 641-713-4920, www.schroederandsites. com.