Pearl M. Albertson

Pearl Albertson, age 91, of Madison, died peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017, at Bethel Lutheran Home, Madison.Funeral services will be 11:00 AM, Friday, December 29, 2017, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison. Visitation will be one hour prior to services on Friday.  Burial will follow at Prairie Queen Cemetery at Nunda.

Pearl Maxine Olson was born June 12,1926, on a farm near Nunda to Oscar and Annie (Moen) Olson.  She had a brother Orland and sister Ione. Pearl briefly attended Augustana College taking business courses (where she acquired an exceptional skill at ping-pong decisively demonstrated against her children).It was a musical connection with neighbor Oscar Albertson’s small orchestra that brought her to the love of her life G. Vernon Albertson.  They married on Valentine’s Day in 1947, at Prairie Queen Lutheran Church, Nunda.  They began their family while they were farming near Nunda, and Vernon worked nights on his college degree in history.  The family then moved to Madison where Pearl worked at Bethel Lutheran Home and the Lake County Courthouse in various accounting positions, while raising four children: Donavon, Pamela, Greg and Susan.  She became a cub scout leader with her own “den”.  Weekends would find them at area dances from which they would come home with a “certain glow”. 

Pearl’s main love was her family.  Beyond husband and children were a brother, a sister, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and a great-grandchild.  She was not only known for generosity and humor but for baking.  It was a miracle that what seemed a small tin of flour could result in so many loaves of bread offered to appreciative visitors and neighbors.  She also enjoyed demonstrating techniques for lefse making at the Smith-Zimmerman Heritage Museum.Pearl was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway, and Nunda American Legion Auxiliary. She had been living at Bethel Home in Madison for several years.

Pearl was preceded in death by her beloved husband Vernon in the winter of 2003; her parents; infant twin sons, brother Orland Olson, sister Ione Albertson, and son-in-law, Henry Heider.

Survivors include four children, Dr. Donavon (Judy) Albertson of New Hampshire, Pam McDowell of Texas, Greg (Cleo) Albertson of Sioux Falls and Susan (Donald) Wallace of Minnesota; six grandchildren; a great granddaughter; and sister-in-law, Shirlee Olson of Nunda.

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