Al passed away peacefully on December 19, 2016, with his daughters near him. He was born and raised in Staples, Minnesota, and during high school worked as a projectionist at the Staples movie theater. He graduated from Staples High School in 1943. Following high school, Al enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces, went through basic training at Hondo (Texas) Army Air Field in 1944, and graduated as a B-24 Flight Officer/Navigator assigned to the 36th Bomb Squadron. He was stationed in Alconbury, England in 1945. He was always proud of the fact that Germany surrendered unconditionally to the Allies on his 20th birthday.

After returning home from the military, Al attended college at North Dakota Agricultural College (now NDSU), graduating with a degree in Pharmacy in 1950. While in college he met Alice, his wife of 64 years. Daughter Diana was born there in 1948. He began his career in Virginia, Minnesota, later moving to St. Paul where daughter Cindy was born in 1952. Al worked at Concord Drug for several years and then spent nearly 30 years working for Snyder Bros. Drug at stores in West St. Paul, Shoreview and St. Anthony before retiring in 1987.

Lived in Friendly Hills for over 59 years – a close-knit neighborhood with wonderful neighbors who enjoyed card playing, parties, coffee get-togethers, camping, helping each other out and watching all the neighborhood kids grow up, many of whom we still see today.

Al cherished spending time with family both here in Minnesota and on visits to Montana and North Dakota, as well as visits from Texas family members. In more recent years he enjoyed spending time with his daughters and niece Janet and her family at resorts around Minnesota, trying (unsuccessfully) to catch a big batch of fish, but enjoying the pontoon outings anyway. In 2015 he took a fun trip to the North Dakota Badlands and South Dakota Black Hills with his daughters. He loved riding the 1880's train, taking in the evening program at Mount Rushmore, and reminiscing about trips he took there as a child with his family.

Al enjoyed many pastimes. His favorites were gardening, woodworking, working with anything mechanical (he wanted to know HOW things worked, not just that they did), camping and fishing with family and friends (for many years leading "car-a-vans" to Montana and Wyoming), and playing games, especially cards (500, cribbage, pinochle, computer card games), dominoes (but NOT Scrabble!). He had a great 500 game with an 8 No-trump hand (320 points – didn't even have to play the hand), but never matched Alice's perfect cribbage hand. He also greatly enjoyed reading history, especially history of the American West; was a prolific writer, enjoyed going to casinos, reading the daily newspaper, Lenten fish fries at the South St. Paul VFW with family and friends, and in the last couple of years said he enjoyed those ambulance rides.

Al was very active in Masonry. He was initiated, passed and raised in Sunrise Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M., Fargo, North Dakota, in 1949. After moving to St. Paul, he became a member of Shekinah Lodge No. 171, where he served two terms as Worshipful Master (1973 and 1989). When Shekinah was disbanded he transferred to Ancient Landmark Lodge No. 5. He was also very involved with Royal Arch Masons of Minnesota Chapter 1, Cryptic Masons of Minnesota, Damascus Commandery No. 1, and Grotto. During his years of involvement, Al started "Passports & Papers," and created a Masonic Passport, as well as numerous certificates and booklets used by the Lodges.

He was also a member of the VFW and a past member of American Legion Post 0577.

Some of Al's favorite sayings: "Don't call me shortly!" "I always was looking good!" "I have every specialist there is except a gynecologist." (but he was known on a first-name basis by everyone at his clinic) "Are you talking to me?" (while looking at a person other than the one talking to him) and "Are you talking about me?" (when he couldn't hear what was being said). "She thinks she's my mother." (referring to Cindy) "Might as well just give them my money when I walk in the door." (referring to casinos) "Is that Brooke?" "What are they fighting about now?" (having to watch soap opera The Bold and The Beautiful on TV with his daughters) "I want to be the oldest living Past Master in Minnesota." "If I feel like this now, what will it be like when I get old?" (at age 90+) "You know, as long as we're half way there, we might as well go to Hinkley." (after audiology appointments in Maplewood)."I wasn't sleeping; I was just looking at the inside of my eyelids." And our favorite, which he said a lot lately: "That was a good day!"

Noted for his sense of humor, which remained with him to the end, one of his nurses during his last hospital visit said he should be a stand-up comedian. To which he replied, "If I could stand up. Right now I'm a bent in half comedian!" (The hospital bed was raised at the head and slightly at the foot end at the time.) As noted by one of his favorite pharmacists, "He was quite a character!"

Al was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Edith; siblings Richard, Gladys, Stanley, Harold, Vernon, Ethel and Jerry; and his wife of 64 years, Alice. He is survived by daughters Diana and Cindy, as well as Godson Jim and nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces who brought him great joy.