Arlo 'Dean' Halvorson

Arlo “Dean” Halvorson, 84, of Mason City, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, January 23, 2013 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, January 26, 2013 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania with Pastor Ed Bard, Hospice Chaplain officiating. Private family interment will be in the Rockwell Cemetery. Visitation will be held 4:00 – 6:00 P.M. Friday, January 25, 2013 at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to the Arlo “Dean” Halvorson memorial fund in care of the family. Arlo “Dean” Halvorson was born January 31, 1928 in Fertile, Iowa, the son of Ernest P. and Ida M. (Sorenson) Halvorson. He attended school in Mason City, graduating in 1946. He served in the National Guard and was then drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952. He served in the Korean War until his honorable discharge in 1955. Dean worked a variety of jobs and always said he had the types of jobs that every little boy dreamed of doing. He worked for the Mason City Fire Department, the Clear Lake Police Department, was a supervisor for Mid Continent Bottlers and lastly worked as a bus driver and custodian for the Mason City School System for thirteen years until his retirement in 1992. Dean was married to Carol Biedermann in 1984 at Clear Lake, Iowa. Dean enjoyed traveling, spending the winter months in Texas and telling stories. He enjoyed watching the Iowa Hawkeyes and in his younger years participated in softball and basketball. Dean was an avid boxer. He fought many professional bouts and was instrumental in a youth program for beginning boxers in the Mason City area. Several of his students were successful in the Golden Gloves competitions. He had a passion for flying; he obtained his private pilot license in 1977 and his instrumental rating in 1978 and flew charters for many years. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, the VFW Post 733 and Aircraft Owners & Operators. Dean loved to be around his friends and family, especially Grandma Jennie who was often quoted as commenting “Oh Vell”. Dean is survived by his wife, Carol of Mason City; sister, Dorothy Van Fleet; nieces, Donna (Don) Wernet and children, Logan (Brenda) Wernet; Kris (Mike) Blunt and children, Shane (Michelle)Blunt, Jason (Megan) Blunt; and Mindy (Damon) Runge all of Mason City; brother-in-law, Paul (Jane) Biedermann of Spirit Lake; and nephews, Blaine (Dr. Christine) Biedermann of Madison, Wisconsin and L. Bradley Biedermann of Salt Lake City, Utah; and many great, great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, brother-in-law Bill Van Fleet and many good friends.

Cemetery:
Private family interment will be in the Rockwell Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Arlo “Dean” Halvorson memorial fund in care of the family.

Visitation:
Visitation will be held 4:00 – 6:00 P.M. Friday, January 25, 2013 at the funeral home.

Service:
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, January 26, 2013 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania with Pastor Ed Bard, Hospice Chaplain officiating.