This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Wicklander, Christenson, Fuller, Johnson, Kiderlen, Laatsch, Strong, Ruka, Stohl, Fredrikson, Branson, Forester, Orf, Ruke, O'Connell, Lee Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/3FC.2ACI/3644 Message Board Post: Milton John Wicklander, 80 Friday, July 09, 2004 Milton John Wicklander, 80, of Stillwater, Minn., and a former longtime resident of Hudson, died Friday, July 2 at his home. Born in McGrath, Minn., April 8, 1924, he was the oldest of the two sons of Emmett M. and Zoella (Christenson) Wicklander. He was a 13th generation descendant in the line of Samuel Fuller, the Pilgrim who came on the Mayflower, arriving in Plymouth, Mass., in 1620. Wicklander was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. He spent his early years in McGrath and came with his parents to Hudson as a teenager. After graduating from Hudson High School in 1941, he entered the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and trained in Lincoln, Neb., and Yuma, Ariz., as a radio gunner. He served overseas in England with the 445th Bombardment Group in 12 combat operations over Germany. In 1945, while in England, he was awarded the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement in Aerial Combat. On Sept. 20, 1944, at the parsonage of the First Baptist Church in Stillwater, he was married to Arlene Doris Johnson of Stillwater. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harris Johnson. He was in the construction and lumber business throughout his entire working career and was associated with the building firm of Benoy and Wicklander and later B&W Construction, Inc. After retiring from the construction business he was an outside salesman for Lambert Lumber Yard. For more than 50 years he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Hudson, where he served as a deacon and trustee and was instrumental in the major restoration of the historic church building, that dates from 1866. He also was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and the Elks Lodge. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and spent many weekends at the family’s lake home. He enjoyed raising Arabian horses, loved gardening and was an excellent cook, famous for his Swedish pancakes. Surviving are his wife, Arlene, of Stillwater; two daughters, Patricia (Ronald) Kiderlen of Livingston, Mont., and Suzanne Laatsch of Hudson; four grandchildren, Emily Strong of Livingston, Mont., and Hailley, Michael and Mallory Laatsch of Hudson; a special niece and nephew, Judy Ruka of Oakdale, Minn., and Ronald A. Stohl of Hudson. Preceding him in death were his parents; and a brother, Dale Eugene Wicklander, in 1990. The family received condolences from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 5, at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson. Funeral services were at 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, at the First Baptist Church in Hudson with Pastor Randy Fredrikson officiating. At the service, organist Jody Branson accompanied vocalist Cheryl Forester. Private burial was in the Houlton Cemetery, where he was the fifth generation of his family to use the historic burying ground. Casketbearers were Michael Ryan Laatsch, Ronald Stohl, David Orf, Bob Ruke, Mike Laatsch, Steve O’Connell and Bob Lee. Full military honors were conducted by members of the Hudson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2115. Memorials may be directed to Lakeview Hospice in Stillwater, Minn., or First Baptist Church of Hudson. The O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Hudson handled arrangements. © 2004 Hudson Star-Observer - Reposted by permission http://www.hudsonstarobserver.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=11111&SectionID=3&SubSectionID=54&S=1