The funeral service for Delferd C. &uot;Del&uot; Kraske was at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. The Rev. Curtis Zieske will officiate. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery. Military honors will be accorded by Albert Lea veterans’ organizations.

Visitation was from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea, and one hour before the service at the church.

Del died on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2005, at Thorne Crest Retirement Center, Health Care Wing. He was 87.

He was born on Sept. 20, 1917, in Billings, Mont., the son of William and Virginia (Lau) Kraske.

He graduated from Albert Lea High School with the class of 1936.

Following graduation he began working at Wilson & Co.

On June 8, 1941, he married Helen Johnson at Trinity Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.

Del served our country in the U.S. Army Air Corp from June 5, 1942, until his honorable discharge on Nov. 5, 1945. During this time he had served in air combat

in Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe.

Del received many decorations and citations for his service, including five Overseas Service Bars, European African-Middle Eastern Theatre Ribbon, one Silver and one Bronze Battle Star, Good Conduct Medal, and a World War II victory medal.

When he returned from the service he resumed his work at Wilson & Co., from which he retired in 1982 after 42 years.

Del was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church,

American Legion Post 56, V.F.W. Post 447,

8th Air Force Historical Society, 8th Air Force Historical Society of Minnesota, 96th Bomb Group, and Shades of Jade Garden Club. He was also a member and past director of the Wilson Employees Credit Union and the United Food and Commerce Workers International Union. He had been an active walker at the YMCA, enjoyed attending continuing education and ceramic classes, and was very involved in Thorne Crest activities.

He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed following all Albert Lea High School activities, the Twins and the Vikings. After retiring, Del enjoyed playing golf.

He was an avid gardener and was especially proud of his roses and phlox. The family will remember the yearly fishing trips, his desire to read and how he passed it on, and the way he &uot;played&uot; and interacted with his grandchildren and other children at family gatherings.

Del is survived by his wife Helen of Albert Lea; daughter, Suzanne and her husband Bill Layton of Kilmarnock, Va.;

son, Paul Kraske and his wife Sally of Plymouth; grandchildren: Ryan Nelson of Indianapolis, Ind., Molly Nelson of Lawrence, Kan., and Amy and her husband Kraig Stabenow of Philidelphia, Pa.; Tim and Brian Kraske of Plymouth; brother, Orion Kraske and his wife Theon of Austin; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother Orlo Kraske.

Del will best be remembered for his easy going, good-natured spirit.