Funeral services for Arthur J. Wedel, age 82, of Hollandale, will be held on Saturday, Dec. 27, at 2:30 p.m. from the Hollandale Reformed Church. The Rev. William Bankester will officiate. Burial will be in the Hollandale Cemetery prior to the funeral service with military honors accorded by the Freeborn County Servicemen’s Organization. Visitation will be today from 5-7 p.m. at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. Friends may also greet the family one hour prior to the services at the Church.

Arthur died on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003 at his home in Hollandale.

Arthur J. Wedel was born on May 7, 1921 in Mountain Lake, Minn., the son of John B. and Kate (Krahn) Wedel. The family moved to the Hollandale community in 1926. He walked one mile to a one-room schoolhouse, District 120. He was a graduate of the Albert Lea High School, the class of 1938. In 1939, he joined the Minnesota National Guard to partake in the monthly drills at the armory. In 1941 the National Guard was activated by the president 11 months before Pearl Harbor. The Midwest guard units, where he was a member, were sent to Camp Claiborne for training. From Camp Claiborne, he went to Fort Dix, New Jersey, the port of embarkment for overseas. In May of 1942 the troops landed in North Ireland for further training.

From North Ireland he was sent to Oran, Algeria, to participate in the North African campaign. After victory in Tunisia, he was sent to Salerno, Italy. After the war was over, he had served 38 months with Company H, 135th Infantry, 34th Infantry Division. He was discharged at Fort Snelling on July 4, 1945. He married Gertrude VanWilgen in October of 1945. He served the Hollandale community as the rural letter carrier from 1951 until 1982. Arthur enjoyed antiques and collectibles and fishing. He was on the Board of Deacons for the Hollandale Reformed Church for many years. He was active in the Hollandale Museum as their treasurer for 10 years.

Arthur was preceded in death by his parents; older brother, Willard; and younger brother Edgar.

His family survivors are his wife, Gertrude; daughter, Mary Jane and husband Vern Boettcher; son, John and wife Bonnie and their two children, Brian and Janna; daughter, Peggy Lingen and her two daughters, Rhonda and Katie; and son, Dan and wife Barb and their two children, Lisa and Michael.