The Funeral Service for Otho L. Gardner, former Albert Lea and Rochester area resident, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 10, at the Zion Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Paul Aldrich will officiate. Interment will be in Hillcrest Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church.

Otho passed away on Sunday, March 7, 2004 at the Good Samaritan

Center in St. Ansgar, Iowa. He was 81.

He was born on March 25, 1922, in Hamilton, Texas, to Foster and Lilla

Gardner. He graduated from Hamilton High School in 1939. He attended business school in Fort Worth, Texas. Otho served our country in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He married Bernelda Polikowsky of Rochester. She died in February

1988. They resided in Rochester until 1976 when they moved to Albert Lea.

Otho had worked as an auto parts salesman at Nichols, Dean and Gregg and General Trading Co. in Rochester. He

owned and operated Car Quest in Albert Lea and Lake Mills until his retirement. He enjoyed golfing, gardening, crossword puzzles, walking, playing cards, hunting and fishing. He was a faithful member of Zion Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

He is survived by three children: Marjorie Nelson (Roger) of Lyle, Carol Hanson (Bill) of Detroit Lakes, Minn., and Charles Gardner (Dianne) of Lake Mills, Iowa; nine grandchildren: Janelle Achenbach (John), Joel Nelson (Carrie), Mark Nelson, Charles Hanson (Angie), Chris Hanson (Dana), Carrie Rood (Nathan), Michael Gardner, Laura Gardner, and Brett Gardner; eight great-grandchildren: Lucy Nelson, Jed Nelson, Brianna Achenbach, Zoe Achenbach, Foster Achenbach, Jamie Hanson, Amy Hanson, and Michael Hanson; two brothers: Bradley Gardner (Sue) of Kerrville, Texas, and Wade Gardner (Mary) of Marion, Iowa; one sister, Zula Hunter (Hobart) of Stephenville, Texas; and many nieces and nephews.

Otho was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and a

great-grandson.