EUGENE LAWRENCE ERLANDSON, age 98, of Adrian, died Friday, April 14, 2017, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. He was born April 2, 1919, in Worthington, to Carl and Lelia (Smith) Erlandson. He graduated from St. Adrian Catholic High School; and later attended Worthington Junior College. Eugene served his nation in the United States Army Air Corp. during WWII. On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, he was coming out of the base Chapel when the first wave of Japanese planes dropped their bombs destroying or damaging 83 of the 126 planes on the ground at Wheeler. He received the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal, the American Defense Service Medal with a Bronze Star and seven Overseas Service Bars. Eugene was one of the last survivors in southwest Minnesota of Pearl Harbor. He served in Hawaii at Wheeler Air Force Base before being discharged in 1945. He returned from the service and made his home in rural Rushmore and worked for Phil Gas in Worthington.

Eugene married June Walgrave on September 16, 1950, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. The couple lived in Worthington where Eugene continued to work for Phil Gas. He later began farming in rural Rushmore. Eugene purchased the family farm and farmed until retiring and moving to the Meadows, in Worthington, in 2009.

He was a member of St. Adrian Catholic Church; the Adrian Swimming Pool Board, the Adrian Lions Club and the Coop Oil Board; the Adrian American Legion; and the Luverne VFW.

Eugene is survived by his wife, June Erlandson, Worthington; five children, Gary (Kathy) Erlandson, Greenfield, IA; Diane (Angel) Otero, Worthington; Dale Erlandson, Sioux City, IA; Robert (Shirley) Erlandson, Worthington; and Donald (Robin) Erlandson, Adrian; many grandchildren; many great grandchildren; and three sisters, Eileen Kohovec, St. Louis, MO; Katheryn (Al) Ell, Mesa, AZ; and Joanne (Jack) Smith, Sioux Falls, SD.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and four brothers, Russell, Maurice, Luverne & James Erlandson.

   Visitation will be from 4-7 pm Sunday at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Adrian; and also from 9 to 9:45 am Monday at the funeral home. Funeral Mass will be Monday at 10 am at St. Adrian Catholic Church, in Adrian, officiated by Monsignor Rick Colletti. Burial with full military honors provided by the Adrian American Legion will be in the St. Adrian Cemetery.

   To view an online obituary or order flowers, please visit www.dingmannandsons.com.

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