Alan William Van Liere

Alan William Van Liere, 69 of Litchfield, passed away on Thursday, March 16. A Celebration of Life will be at 4 p.m. Friday, March 31, at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home with a Memorial gathering beginning at 2 p.m.
Alan William Van Liere, was born on April 7th,1953 to Harold and Dawn (Huntimer) Van Liere of Colton. SD. He attended grade school in Colton and graduated from Tri-Valley High School in 1971. On May 20th, 1973, he married the love of his life, Elizabeth Byg of Hartford, SD. Growing up in Colton, Alan competed in football, basketball and baseball and worked at the family service station as a car mechanic. In 1974, he joined Nash Finch Company in Sioux Falls, SD and in 1978 entered their retail management program. He worked as store manager for Nash Finch retail grocery stores throughout central and eastern Iowa. In 1989, Al and family moved to Litchfield, MN where he lived until his death. He retired in 2013 with over 35 years in the retail industry where he managed, operated, and owned his own grocery business.
Al loved classic cars, collecting antique memorabilia, and spending his time outdoors working in his garden. He enjoyed coaching youth sports teams, watching local sports teams compete and spending time with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years Liz, sons Travis (Kori) of Edina,MN; Rance(Paula) of Corsham, England; Brandon (Kayla) of Woodbury,MN; and Brent (Ashlea) of Corona, CA. 10 grandchildren; Gracin, Aubrey, Vanessa. Isabel, Samuel, Asher, Crew. Rhys, Ensley and Tatum Van Liere. Sisters Melani Crosby of Pierre SD, Kim Crosby of High Springs, FL; Brenda Amundson (Craig Weier) of Sioux Falls, SD. Brothers Troy (Lisa) Van Liere of Gaylord, MI and Ryan (Angie) Van Liere of Hartford, SD and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death are his parents Harold and Dawn Van Liere, grandparents Archie and Nellie Waswick and Ed and Valda Huntimer, his niece Kara Crosby and his in-laws Melvin and Ruth Byg.
In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made in Alan Van Liere's name to Anderson Garden of Litchfield by mailing checks payable to Anderson Garden to 126 Marshall Ave. N, Litchfield, MN 55355, Litchfield Youth Basketball Program by mailing checks payable to Litchfield Basketball to 901 N. Gilman Ave. Litchfield, MN 5535, or Ecumen Hospice of Litchfield.