Arthur Stevens, 72
Arthur “Sonny” Stevens age 72 of Garvin,
MN died Saturday, August 9, 2008 at the Colonial
Manor Nursing Home in Balaton, MN. Services will
be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 16, 2008 at the Lake
Sarah Lutheran Church in Garvin. Visitation will
be 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 15, 2008
at the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy, MN, and continuing
one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
The Interment at Tracy City Cemetery will follow
a luncheon held at This Ol’ Place in Garvin.
Arthur Raymond “Sonny” Stevens was born
February 4, 1936 to Raymond and Avis (Anderson)
Stevens in Slayton, MN, Murray County. He grew up
in the Tracy, MN area, where he attended Tracy Public
Schools, graduating from Tracy High School in 1955.
While in high school Sonny was a member of the A-squad
wrestling team.
Soon after completing high school Sonny served four
years in the U. S. Navy aboard the USS Franklin
D. Roosevelt as a gunner’s mate. He then returned
to Minnesota until the early 1970’s when he
moved to Oregon. While there he worked for Mier
& Frank Department Store in flooring sales and
also worked as a flooring installer. Sonny moved
back to Tracy in the early 1990’s.
On June 10, 1995 Sonny married Joanne Ellingson
at the Church of Christ in Tracy and they made their
home in Garvin, MN. He worked for Homera Homes in
Tracy and most recently for Northstar Homes in Marshall,
MN as a flooring installer until 2007. Sonny worked
in the flooring business for over 40 years before
his health required him to retire.
He attended the Bible Baptist Church in Walnut Grove,
MN. He enjoyed NASCAR, sports, karaoke, horseshoes,
bowling and golf, and was active in several leagues
in bowling, golf and horseshoe.
On Saturday, August 9, 2008 Sonny died, after a
year long fight with cancer, surrounded by his loving
family, at the age of 72.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Joanne Stevens of
Garvin, MN; three daughters, Terry Stevens of Kyle,
TX, Tracee Wadenstierna and Tamara (Jim) Mathieson,
both of Bend, OR; four sons, Jeffrey (Andrea Bertrand)
Ellingson of Marshall, MN, Michael (Shyla) Ellingson
of Garvin, MN, David (Kim) Ellingson of Hickory,
NC and Lee Ellingson of Garvin, MN; 21 grandchildren;
one sister, Sandy Polzine of Tracy, MN; two brothers,
Roger Stevens of Minneapolis, MN and Doug Stevens
of Barrett, MN; and many nieces, nephews and numerous
friends.
His parents, one sister, Sylvia Peterson and one
brother, Milo Stevens preceded him in death.
The Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy is handling the
arrangements. Online condolences may be placed at
www.almliefh.com .