Alfred Simonson

Alfred Simonson, age 98, of Graceville, MN, passed away on August 18, 2020, at Essentia Health - Holy Trinity Hospital in Graceville.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, August 28, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. at Wildwood Cemetery in Wheaton, MN. Visitation will be held on Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home Chapel in Graceville.

While maintaining social distancing guidelines, we are now able to accommodate gatherings of up to 250 people. The use of face masks by attendees is required, and we will continue taking the necessary steps to keep our facility clean.

Alfred Melvin Simonson was born July 13, 1922, to Siguard and Anna (Aarsheim) Simonson on a farm south of Swift Falls, MN. He went to school at the Artichoke Township School and graduated with an 8th-grade education. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith.

Alfred started farming early in his life and made his living around Traverse and Big Stone Counties. He married Dorathy Vathroder on February 6, 1943, amid a blizzard in Wheaton, MN. Dorathy and Alfred celebrated sixty-two years of marriage and were blessed with eight children: Geraldine, Rodney, Jeanne, Lee, Julie, Mark, Gary, and Kevin.

Alfred and Dorathy farmed and lived north of Graceville, MN, after their marriage. Alfred loved farming and enjoyed helping others with their crop, and this interest led him to the custom harvesting business. He began the business with his brother, Stanley, and later hired two of his sons to help. Alfred’s custom harvesting business brought him to Oklahoma, and they would make their way north through Kansas, Nebraska, and eventually Canada. When he would return home, Alfred would always lend a helping hand to friends and neighbors, helping with their harvest or working on equipment. He was very mechanically inclined and loved to get things working again.

Aside from farming, Alfred was an avid outdoorsman. He loved pheasant hunting, deer hunting, and ice fishing. Ice fishing was his specialty, and he passed this love on to his children and later, to his grandchildren.

Later in life, Alfred and Dorathy started gardening. His grandchildren fondly remember afternoons digging potatoes with Grandpa and Grandma, followed by a feast of fresh walleye from Toqua Lake with fresh potatoes and green beans!

Alfred will be deeply missed by his children: Geraldine (Don) Diekman of Beardsley, MN; Rodney (David) of Minneapolis, MN; Jeanne (Mike) McManaman of Denton, TX; Julie (Pat) Campion, of St. Michael, MN; Mark (Marie), of Madison, SD; and Gary (Kim) of Graceville, MN; 18 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; siblings: Agnes (Harold) Nelson of Clinton, MN; Hazel Lang of Layton, CA; Shirley Leuthart of Ashby, MN; numerous nieces and nephews; and many other family members and friends.

Alfred was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dorathy; sisters: Gina Jorgenson and Irene Peers; brother, Stanley Simonson; sons: Kevin and Lee Simonson; grandson, Colby Simonson; and step-grandson, Shawn Murphy.