Duane H. Lindgren

Duane H. Lindgren, 90, of Willmar, died Saturday, May 28th at Paynesville Area Hospital. His funeral will be 11:00 am, Saturday, June 4th at United Lutheran Church in Lake Lillian with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be in Mamrelund Lutheran Cemetery, rural Pennock.  Memorials in lieu of flowers may be given to United Lutheran Church, https://llunitedlutheran.weebly.com, Mamrelund Lutheran Church – Cemetery Fund, https://mamrelund.weebly.com, Parkinsons Minnesota/Dakotas, https://www.parkinson.org/MinnesotaDakotas.  Funeral arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home, www.hafh.org.

Duane was born March 8, 1932, in Mamre Township, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, the son of Harry and Alma (Forstrom) Lindgren.  He attended Kandiyohi County 14 E through the 8th grade and graduated from Willmar High School in 1950.  He was baptized and confirmed at Mamrelund Lutheran Church in Pennock, MN.  Following high school, Duane enlisted in the United States Air Force.  He was stationed in Albany, GA, and at Scott Field, IL, where he received training in ground radio.  He was stationed the last 16 months in Guam, serving until his Honorable Discharge in 1954. 

On November 7, 1952, he was united in marriage to Arlys Hauser at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Raymond.  After serving in the US Air Force, Duane attended and graduated in 1956 from Northwestern Television and Electronics Institute in Minneapolis.  In June of 1956, Duane opened Duane’s Radio & TV Service in Clara City, MN.  In 1960 they moved to New Brighton, MN where Duane worked on the Apollo Navigation System at Honeywell in St Paul.  Duane and Arlys became parents to daughter, Sheila, and son, Todd, while living in New Brighton.

In 1964 they moved to Willmar where Duane was offered a job by his cousin, Kelly Forstrom, at Citizens National Bank of Willmar, working as a Teller and later as a Cashier.  Daughters, Peggy and Sharri, were born to Duane and Arlys while living in Willmar.  In 1969 they moved to Lake Lillian when a group of businessmen purchased First State Bank of Lake Lillian.  Duane served as President of the bank. In 1978 Duane and his cousin, Kelly Forstrom, co-founded First State Marketing Corporation (FSMC) of Lake Lillian.  FSMC was the nation’s largest processor of consumer rebate checks and WIC (Women, Infant and Children) drafts.   Duane retired his position of President of First State Bank in 1988, but continued to serve on the Board of Directors until Duane and Kelly sold the bank to Citizen’s Alliance Bank in 2006.  After retiring in 1988, Duane and Arlys were able to spend their winters in Punta Gorda, Florida for 34 years.  Duane and Arlys moved to their new home on Valley Golf Course in Willmar in 1991.  In 1997, they, along with daughter, Peggy and Nick Ebnet, purchased Valley Golf Course, later selling their interest to Peggy and Nick. 

Duane’s faith was always an important part of his life.  Church membership, attendance and participation were a priority to him. He was an active member of Bethel Lutheran Church while living in Willmar from 1964-1969.  He became an active member of First Lutheran Church when they moved to Lake Lillian where he had served as the President of the council, and also taught Sunday school.

Duane was involved in many different organizations including Ducks Unlimited, Elks, Minnesota Bankers Association and Lake Lillian Chamber of Commerce.  He enjoyed playing golf, hunting, and fishing.  Over the years, he and Arlys enjoyed and were able to travel extensively across the country and throughout the world.

Surviving are his wife, of nearly 70 years, Arlys.  Also surviving are his children: Sheila (Kevin) Roelike of Sauk Center, Todd (Erna) Lindgren of Cape Coral, FL, Peggy (Nick) Ebnet of Lake Lillian, and Sharri (Jeff Berghuis) Lindgren of Cape Coral, FL; 11 grandchildren, Keshia (Trevor) Solem, Brendon Siems, Brody (Shannon Ogren) Siems, Sophia Lindgren, McKenzie (Nick) Spalding, Alexandra (Steven) Andrews, Taylor (Danny) Carlson, Breckan (Ashley) Ebnet, Hannah Esham, Hailey (Ben LeMaster) Esham, and Seth Esham, and 11 great grandchildren.  He is also survived by sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his mother and father-in-law, Alfred & Alta (Henslin) Hauser and sisters, Leone (and Rudy) Schultz and Marcia “Mars” (and Olaf) Hafstad. His brothers-in-law and sister-in-law, Elloyd Hauser, Ronald Hauser, Eldon & Angie Hauser. He was also preceded in death by infant grandson, Cameron Duane Lindgren.

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