Oswald William Asper, age 88, of Deer River, died Sunday, Oct. 27, 2002, at the Deer River Health Care Center.

He was born April 16, 1914, in Austin to Bennie and Mattie (Olson) Asper. He attended school in the Adams area and went to work for the Hormel Foods Corp. in July of 1936. He was married to Bernice Rogers on Jan. 21, 1939, at Austin. During World War II he served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He returned to Austin and worked at the Hormel Company until retiring on Sept. 30, 1976. He was a member of Our Saviors Lutheran Church, DAV, Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, and the Moose Club. Following his wife’s death, he moved to St. Cloud in 1984, and to Deer River in 2001. He enjoyed woodworking and hunting, but was an avid muskie fisherman.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice; brothers: Bernard and Art Asper; and sisters: Ruth MacNamara and Alice Krokus.

Funeral services were at 10 a.m. today, Oct. 31, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Don Deines officiating. Interment was in the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, with Austin Post #91 American Legion and Olaf B. Damm Post 1216 VFW in charge of military rites. Visitation was held at the Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, Austin, Wednesday from 4-8 p.m., and at the church for one hour before the service.

Casket bearers were Scott Merten, Dr. Chuck Thompson, Adrian Sequin, Randy Kuechle, Chad Meinert, Jay Asper, David Vos and Paul Kieffer.

He is survived by sons and daughters-in-law: Roger and Joy Asper of Deer River, and Robert and Sally Jo Asper of Hollandale; granddaughters and husbands: Stacy and Dr. Charles Thompson of Sartell, Minn., Shauna and Adrian Seguin of Sartell, Maria and Randall Kuechle of Grand Rapids, Minn., Carey and Chad Meinert of St. Cloud, and Nicole and David Vos of Minneapolis; grandsons and wives: Scott and Denise Merten of Hollandale, and Jay and Missi Asper of Sauk Rapids, Minn.; great-grandchildren: Trent, Madison and Carson Thompson, Avery and Tatum Seguin, Rebecca and Amanda Kuechle, Quinn Meinert, Preston Merton, Samantha, Chandler, and Maggie and Libby Asper; sisters: Myrtle Bliton of Peoria, Ariz., Irene Hurd of Austin, Texas, and Madiline Cockrum of Anaheim, Calif.; brothers: Harold Asper of Eastsound, Wash., Morry and Eva Asper of Sun City, Calif., Bill Asper of Yerington, Nev., and Myron and Gloria Asper of Shakopee; and nieces and nephews.