Lawrence O. Gustafson, 99, of Albert Lea, died Saturday, April 7, 2007, at Albert Lea Medical Center in Albert Lea. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Paul&8217;s United Church of Christ in rural Minnesota Lake with the Rev. Henry Hendricks officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells and one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the church. Interment will be in the Rosehill Cemetery in Wells.

Lawrence Oliver Gustafson was born on April 20, 1907, in Farnhamville, Iowa, the son of Axel John and Hilma Sarah (Johnson) Gustafson. He attended school in Gowrie, Iowa, and was confirmed in Swedish at Zion Lutheran Church in Gowrie on May 14, 1922. When he was 16 years old he moved with his parents to a farm northwest of Freeborn.

On May 1, 1934, he married Alice L. Fiene in Perry, Okla. They farmed near Freeborn, retiring in 1983, and moving to Luther Place in Albert Lea. They traveled around the world visiting 23 countries and six continents; they also hosted 23 foreign correspondents through the World Press Institute. Lawrence and Alice were very involved with the Farm Bureau and were awarded a life membership in the Minnesota Farm Bureau. They were also members of Mayo Legacy and were supporters of Mayo Clinic&8217;s Medical Education and Research Programs. Lawrence loved to spend time fishing and most of all visiting with his friends and neighbors. He was very proud of his Swedish heritage.

He is survived by many cousins and many, many friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents and his wife Alice in 1995.