ROCHESTER -- Clifford A. Aaby, 90, died Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at Season's Hospice.
Clifford Arleen Aaby was born in Rock Dell, Minn., on April 19, 1919, to Martin and Mattie (Hegna) Aaby. Cliff grew up on the family farm in Rock Dell and graduated from Julson rural school. He joined the Civil Conservation Crops at age 17 where he stayed until age 19. He married Rosella (Rose) A. Eliason on Jan. 11, 1941, at East St. Olaf Church in Rock Dell, Minn. Cliff entered the sheet metal trade and earned journeyman status in October 1942. A WWII veteran, Cliff served in the U.S. Army for three years, leaving in December 1945. After leaving the army, Cliff returned to Rochester where he once again took up the sheet metal trade.
Well known as a community leader, Cliff served in leadership roles in several labor and civic organizations, including: president, financial secretary, recording secretary and business representative of the Rochester sheet metal workers union Local 218; delegate to the Rochester Building and Construction Trades Council; member of the Rochester Labor Temple Building Association; chairman of the sheet metal apprentice committee (30 years); chairman of the Labor Negotiating Committee (20 years); 1st District representative to the state AFL-CIO (12 years), and a member of the Rochester city charter commission. Cliff retired from the building trades in 1985. In that year he opened a small tool repair business, which he operated until 2008.
An active member of the Zumbro Lutheran Church, Cliff was a former board member in addition to serving as an usher for Sunday services and special events. Cliff was also a member of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Rochester Eagles Club and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosella Alvina (Eliason); four sons, James (Patricia) Aaby, Las Vegas, Nev., Barry (Donna) Aaby, Blaine, Minn., Michael (Katherine) Aaby, Olney, Md., and Wynn (Sandy) Aaby of Byron, Minn.; two daughters, Nancy (Lyle) Hemingson, Burnsville, Minn., and Debbie (Jay) Gendron, Gilbert, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Florence (Dave) Bitticks, Downey, Calif., Verna Herrick, Rochester, Minn., and Dea Coley, Hinckley, Ohio.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Mattie Aaby, brother Glen, two sisters, Lorraine Grovdahl and Elvira Wilson.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, 2009, at Zumbro Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home and one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at 2 p.m. at Grandview Memorial Gardens with military honors.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Ronald McDonald House or the Salvation Army, Rochester.
Clifford Arleen Aaby was born in Rock Dell, Minn., on April 19, 1919, to Martin and Mattie (Hegna) Aaby. Cliff grew up on the family farm in Rock Dell and graduated from Julson rural school. He joined the Civil Conservation Crops at age 17 where he stayed until age 19. He married Rosella (Rose) A. Eliason on Jan. 11, 1941, at East St. Olaf Church in Rock Dell, Minn. Cliff entered the sheet metal trade and earned journeyman status in October 1942. A WWII veteran, Cliff served in the U.S. Army for three years, leaving in December 1945. After leaving the army, Cliff returned to Rochester where he once again took up the sheet metal trade.
Well known as a community leader, Cliff served in leadership roles in several labor and civic organizations, including: president, financial secretary, recording secretary and business representative of the Rochester sheet metal workers union Local 218; delegate to the Rochester Building and Construction Trades Council; member of the Rochester Labor Temple Building Association; chairman of the sheet metal apprentice committee (30 years); chairman of the Labor Negotiating Committee (20 years); 1st District representative to the state AFL-CIO (12 years), and a member of the Rochester city charter commission. Cliff retired from the building trades in 1985. In that year he opened a small tool repair business, which he operated until 2008.
An active member of the Zumbro Lutheran Church, Cliff was a former board member in addition to serving as an usher for Sunday services and special events. Cliff was also a member of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Rochester Eagles Club and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosella Alvina (Eliason); four sons, James (Patricia) Aaby, Las Vegas, Nev., Barry (Donna) Aaby, Blaine, Minn., Michael (Katherine) Aaby, Olney, Md., and Wynn (Sandy) Aaby of Byron, Minn.; two daughters, Nancy (Lyle) Hemingson, Burnsville, Minn., and Debbie (Jay) Gendron, Gilbert, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Florence (Dave) Bitticks, Downey, Calif., Verna Herrick, Rochester, Minn., and Dea Coley, Hinckley, Ohio.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Mattie Aaby, brother Glen, two sisters, Lorraine Grovdahl and Elvira Wilson.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, 2009, at Zumbro Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home and one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at 2 p.m. at Grandview Memorial Gardens with military honors.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Ronald McDonald House or the Salvation Army, Rochester.
ROCHESTER -- Clifford A. Aaby, 90, died Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at Season's Hospice.
Clifford Arleen Aaby was born in Rock Dell, Minn., on April 19, 1919, to Martin and Mattie (Hegna) Aaby. Cliff grew up on the family farm in Rock Dell and graduated from Julson rural school. He joined the Civil Conservation Crops at age 17 where he stayed until age 19. He married Rosella (Rose) A. Eliason on Jan. 11, 1941, at East St. Olaf Church in Rock Dell, Minn. Cliff entered the sheet metal trade and earned journeyman status in October 1942. A WWII veteran, Cliff served in the U.S. Army for three years, leaving in December 1945. After leaving the army, Cliff returned to Rochester where he once again took up the sheet metal trade.
Well known as a community leader, Cliff served in leadership roles in several labor and civic organizations, including: president, financial secretary, recording secretary and business representative of the Rochester sheet metal workers union Local 218; delegate to the Rochester Building and Construction Trades Council; member of the Rochester Labor Temple Building Association; chairman of the sheet metal apprentice committee (30 years); chairman of the Labor Negotiating Committee (20 years); 1st District representative to the state AFL-CIO (12 years), and a member of the Rochester city charter commission. Cliff retired from the building trades in 1985. In that year he opened a small tool repair business, which he operated until 2008.
An active member of the Zumbro Lutheran Church, Cliff was a former board member in addition to serving as an usher for Sunday services and special events. Cliff was also a member of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Rochester Eagles Club and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosella Alvina (Eliason); four sons, James (Patricia) Aaby, Las Vegas, Nev., Barry (Donna) Aaby, Blaine, Minn., Michael (Katherine) Aaby, Olney, Md., and Wynn (Sandy) Aaby of Byron, Minn.; two daughters, Nancy (Lyle) Hemingson, Burnsville, Minn., and Debbie (Jay) Gendron, Gilbert, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Florence (Dave) Bitticks, Downey, Calif., Verna Herrick, Rochester, Minn., and Dea Coley, Hinckley, Ohio.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Mattie Aaby, brother Glen, two sisters, Lorraine Grovdahl and Elvira Wilson.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, 2009, at Zumbro Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home and one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at 2 p.m. at Grandview Memorial Gardens with military honors.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Ronald McDonald House or the Salvation Army, Rochester.
Clifford Arleen Aaby was born in Rock Dell, Minn., on April 19, 1919, to Martin and Mattie (Hegna) Aaby. Cliff grew up on the family farm in Rock Dell and graduated from Julson rural school. He joined the Civil Conservation Crops at age 17 where he stayed until age 19. He married Rosella (Rose) A. Eliason on Jan. 11, 1941, at East St. Olaf Church in Rock Dell, Minn. Cliff entered the sheet metal trade and earned journeyman status in October 1942. A WWII veteran, Cliff served in the U.S. Army for three years, leaving in December 1945. After leaving the army, Cliff returned to Rochester where he once again took up the sheet metal trade.
Well known as a community leader, Cliff served in leadership roles in several labor and civic organizations, including: president, financial secretary, recording secretary and business representative of the Rochester sheet metal workers union Local 218; delegate to the Rochester Building and Construction Trades Council; member of the Rochester Labor Temple Building Association; chairman of the sheet metal apprentice committee (30 years); chairman of the Labor Negotiating Committee (20 years); 1st District representative to the state AFL-CIO (12 years), and a member of the Rochester city charter commission. Cliff retired from the building trades in 1985. In that year he opened a small tool repair business, which he operated until 2008.
An active member of the Zumbro Lutheran Church, Cliff was a former board member in addition to serving as an usher for Sunday services and special events. Cliff was also a member of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Rochester Eagles Club and the American Legion.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosella Alvina (Eliason); four sons, James (Patricia) Aaby, Las Vegas, Nev., Barry (Donna) Aaby, Blaine, Minn., Michael (Katherine) Aaby, Olney, Md., and Wynn (Sandy) Aaby of Byron, Minn.; two daughters, Nancy (Lyle) Hemingson, Burnsville, Minn., and Debbie (Jay) Gendron, Gilbert, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Florence (Dave) Bitticks, Downey, Calif., Verna Herrick, Rochester, Minn., and Dea Coley, Hinckley, Ohio.
Cliff was preceded in death by his parents, Martin and Mattie Aaby, brother Glen, two sisters, Lorraine Grovdahl and Elvira Wilson.
A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 13, 2009, at Zumbro Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, July 12, 2009, at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home and one hour before the service at the church. Burial will be at 2 p.m. at Grandview Memorial Gardens with military honors.
In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Ronald McDonald House or the Salvation Army, Rochester.
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