William Howard Aanerud

William Howard Aanerud was born on the family farm in central North Dakota on June 4, 1921, one of seven children to Carl and Anna (Finstad) Aanerud. Bill always enjoyed living with his parents and siblings during the early years of his life on the three family farms, in ND, Canada, and Minnesota.  There were always chores to do and schools to attend. He went to eight years of country school in ND and graduated from high school in Emmons. Activities he enjoyed as a youth included Church, Sunday school, choir, band, 4H clubs, skating, sledding, baseball, softball, hunting, fishing, bowling, golf, and dancing.  In 1934 the family settled in Freeborn County on the family farm.  In 1942 Bill enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served as a radio and radar mechanic for P47 fighter planes. He spent three years in England, France, Belgium, and Germany. At the end of WWII he returned to the U.S. and worked as City Clerk/Treasurer for the City of Albert Lea.  Following that he worked as the Court Administrator of Freeborn County until his retirement.
On December 23, 1945 Bill was united in marriage to Helen Sorenson at the Glenville parsonage.  On March 1, 1986 he was married to Helen Gunderson at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church.  They both have preceded him in death. Bill was a member of Round Prairie Lutheran Church, then First Lutheran Church and later Central Freeborn, the VFW, and the American Legion.  He volunteered for the Red Cross and liked reading, hiking, and travel. He took a trip to Norway and enjoyed visiting relatives there. Family was very important to Bill. During his retirement he joined with his siblings preparing a history entitled “A Pioneer Farm Family, Aaneruds in the Upper Midwest – 1900’s”.
Survivors include his daughter Barbara (William) Nelson, granddaughter Kristine Nelson, step daughter Phyllis (Wes) Nielsen, step-daughter-in-law Denise Gunderson; step grandchildren Charles Meuser, Patti Meuser, Ania (Mike) Keliher, Laura Gunderson and fiancé Chris Rahn, and Ryan Gunderson; step great-grandchildren Kara Buechner, Nathan Buechner, Adam (Sarah) Meuser, Jacob Meuser, and Tommy and Jackson Keliher; sister Olga Schmitt, brother James (Shirley) Aanerud, and many nieces and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, wives Helen Sorenson and Helen Gunderson, step-son Robert Gunderson, brothers Arthur (Mabel), Clarence (Ann), Robert (Alta), Alan (Patricia), and other brothers and sisters-in-law.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the charity of the donor’s choice.