Earl Allen Colbenson

RUSHFORD, MINN. - Earl A. Colbenson, 92, of Rushford, Minn. died on Wednesday, June 17, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford. Earl was born on August 7, 1916, in Rushford, to Martin "Fritz" and Carrie (Markegard) Colbenson. He was raised in Rushford and lived in the Rushford area all of his life. On August 10, 1940, Earl married Irene Anderson in Winona, Minn. When he was only 13 years old Earl had already learned to run a steam engine. Through the years his work included: farming with horses, working for G.S. Woxland, Co-owner and operator of the Rushford Greenhouse, and caretaker of the Oak Grove City Cemetery in Rushford. In his later years he enjoyed caring for people's lawns and for his flowers. Earl is survived by his wife Irene; three children: Roger (Marcia) Colbenson of Rushford, Marvin (Carol) Colbenson of Fountain City, Wis., and Donna (Jerry) Beyer of West Salem, Wis.; grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Ronda (Rod) Young, and their children, Leah, Cheyenne, Adrianna, and Hunter, Derek Colbenson, Jason (Samantha) Colbenson, and Preston Colbenson; six step-grandchildren; and one brother, Obert (Rosemary) Colbenson of Rushford. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Carroll and Milford, and by two sons, who died in infancy. The funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22, at Hoff Funeral Homes - Rushford Chapel with funeral celebrant Daryl Thompson officiating. Following the funeral service Earl's body will be cremated with burial of his cremated body in the Rushford Lutheran Cemetery at a later date. Friends may call from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday and one hour prior to the service on Monday at the funeral home. Please leave a memory of Earl, sign his online guestbook and view his tribute video when it becomes available online at www.hofffuneral.com
Tribute video can be found at: videos.lifetributes.com/74964