Alvina Gwen Guanella

Alvina Gwen Guanella was born on June 29, 1927 to Edward and Hattie (Davis) Owens in Lake Crystal, MN. She had two brothers, Floyd and Ralph, and three sisters, Ethel Weitzel, Alice Tatum, and Dolly Dowd. Alvina attended school in Lake Crystal, graduating in 1946. Her early days were spent helping on the farm, and hunting and trapping with her father. She loved to hunt and work with the hunting dogs she had through the years. Alvina was very athletically and artistically inclined. Following high school Alvina attended Mankato Teacher’s College and Lea College. In 1948 Alvina was united in marriage to Elwood Guanella in Lake Crystal. She taught elementary school and did administration duties in the Alden Conger school system for 25 years. She started in the Conger School in 1963. Alvina taught a wide variety of grades and was best known for high expectations tempered with a great sense of humor. Her students all have stories about the jokes and clever things she did to keep things interesting. Everyone who was in school knew about her ability to whistle very loudly, and you had better respond quickly when she whistled.

Survivors include her sons Terry (Susan) Guanella of Amery, WI and G. Joe (Kim) Guanella of Alden; grandsons Michael (Darcy) of Austin, MN, Jay (Carolyn) of Rosemount, MN, and Sam (Lindsey) of Eden Prairie, MN; great-grandchildren Eleanor, Natalie, Henry, Quentin, Alex, Madeline, and Gabriel; and special friends Helen and Gerry Steene.

Alvina was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Elwood, and her brothers and sisters.