Allen Ljung

Allen L. Ljung was born on September 30, 1918 in Port Orchard, Washington, the son of Albin and Ida (Sherlin) Ljung. The family returned to the Alexandria, MN area in 1919. Allen was baptized into the Lutheran faith and later took his confirmation vows at Fahlun Lutheran Church north of Nelson. He grew up in the farming community northeast of Alexandria, attended Liberty School District #15 and graduated as Salutatorian from Alexandria High School in 1937. Allen was a member of the National Honor Society and received the Josten English Award. In 1939 he accepted a job with Anderson Furniture Company. Allen was united in marriage to Irene Margaret Hanson, daughter of Alfred C. and Emma Hanson of Nelson, MN on September 4, 1942. Four children were born of this union, Donovan, Kenneth, Margaret, and Gerald. In November of 1942, Allen was inducted into the U.S. Army. He served more than three years and attained the rank of Sergeant. In 1946 he followed the footsteps of his father and grandfather into the carpentry trade when he went to work for Vernon Hanson as carpenter and cabinet maker. In 1951 he found employment at Simonson's Custom Cabinet Shop north of Alexandria, a business which Allen and Floyd Johnson bought out in 1955 and operated until 1972. From then until retirement in 1986, he found his favorite job when he was employed as maintenance man at the Alexandria Fire Department with ten fire vehicles to care for besides other duties. In 1972, Allen's wife Irene suffered a severe stroke which left her partially paralyzed until her death on July 11, 1990 following a heart attack. Allen was a devoted, wonderful caregiver to Irene during those years. She recovered enough that they were able to do quite a bit of traveling, both here and abroad. On November 24, 1990 Allen was united in marriage to Evelyn Swanson Bemo. Both Al and Evelyn enjoyed history and traveling and managed to visit all fifty states in the next several years. They made two trips to find and visit relatives in Sweden, traveled in the British Isles and in central Europe. Evelyn passed away in 2007. Allen's hobbies included all types of repair work from restoring old cars and engines to furniture repair. He served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Douglas County Historical Society. He wrote several articles for the weekly Heritage Columns in the local newspaper. Sports activities were confined mostly to watching all types of auto racing and some fishing. Motorcycle riding was an early and lasting interest. The first used Harley was acquired at age seventeen. Fortunately, both Irene and Evelyn were also motorcycle enthusiasts so many trips and outings were enjoyed on two wheels. An active member of Fahlun Lutheran Church, Allen was a member of the church council for sixteen years prior to 1972. He served as Chairman of the Board and Congregation President during seven of those years. Allen was also Chairman and Treasurer of the Fahlun Cemetery Board for twenty-five years. In 1989, he was again elected to the church council where he served for another six years. He was able to live independently in Bethel Manor until this spring when he was placed under hospice care and eventually moved into Bethany Home. He celebrated his ninety-eighth birthday there on September 30th. On Monday, October 10, 2016 Allen died. He was preceded in death by his two wives, Irene and Evelyn; a foster sister, Edythe Erickson (Mrs. Fredolph Hanson);Mabel Peterson, a special friend at Bethel Manor; and a grandson, Brandon Ljung. Surviving are Allen's children, Donovan (Ellen) Ljung of Geneva, IL, Kenneth (Shari) Ljung of Roseville, MN, Margaret (Rev. John Martinson) of Alexandria. MN, and Gerald Ljung of California, M; six grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren, Michael and April Ljung (Parker, Sophie and Stella), David Ljung Madison Stellar (Arielle), Tracy and Eric Kugler (Daphne, Iris), Eli and Kari Ljung (Gretta, Elsa) , Jonna and David Thomas (Ian, Nicholas, Duncan, and Alison) , and Todd and Jody Martinson (Jakob and Caleb). A funeral service will be held 11 AM Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Fahlun Lutheran Church near Nelson, MN. Interment will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 PM Wednesday and also one hour prior to the service at church. Memorials are preferred to the Alexandria Fire Department and Knute Nelson Hospice.