Funeral services for Clarence O. Christenson, age 70, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home. The Rev. Marcia Hall will officiate. Interment will be in Graceland Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Monday at Bayview and one hour prior to the time of the service on Tuesday.

Clarence passed away on Friday, Aug. 3, 2007, at home surrounded by family after a courageous two-year battle with cancer.

Clarence O. Christenson was born on Oct. 31, 1936, in Rake, Iowa, to Merrill and Cora (Petersen) Christenson. He was baptized in Forest City, Iowa, and confirmed at Glenville Lutheran Church. He was a member of Grace Lutheran from 1966 to April of 2001 and then joined Trinity Lutheran Church. Clarence was the owner of Family Car and Truck Wash in Albert Lea for 24 years and was a self-employed contractor from 1978 until the time of his death. He was united in marriage to Annabell M. Spitzack on Aug. 14, 1955.

They had six children.

Clarence worked hard all his life from the age of 15 on construction jobs, farm or whatever work he could find to help his mom and younger siblings. He always managed to find a job to take care of his wife and children when times got tough. He was a painter of houses and farm sites. He purchased the car and truck wash on East Main Street which he and his family ran for 24 years, in addition to driving dump truck amd hauling black top with his sons, Terry and Richard, for five years. He still hauled materials until the time of his death. Everyone knew him by his red dump truck,

No. 14. He also did light construction with his equipment. He loved what he did. Clarence really enjoyed his coffee parties at home with his special friends Dick, Randy and Joe, who were always there when he needed help. He also enjoyed going to auctions with his friends and visiting neighbors on his golf cart. He was always there to lend a helping hand to anyone who needed help.

He will be missed dearly by all who knew him. Keep on trucking, Clarence &8212; we love you!

Survivors include his wife Annabell; children Terry (Jane) Christenson of Owatonna, Susan (Dave) Skogheim of Albert Lea, Richard Christenson of Albert Lea, Debra (Stan) Wirtjes of rural Albert Lea, daughter Kathy Bock and her special friend Larry Rabin of Albert Lea, and Patty Nielsen of Northwood, Iowa; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brother Kenneth (Mavis) Christenson of Northfield; sisters Maxine Reyerson and Adeline Johnson, both of Albert Lea; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, sister Arline Oswaldson, and brothers Gerald and Charles Christenson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Crossroads Community Hospice and the cancer center at Albert Lea Medical Center.