The Funeral Service for Van Philip Pence of Albert Lea, formerly of
Geneva
, will be
held at 1:30 P.M. on Monday, August 24, 2009, at
Ascension
Lutheran
Church
in Albert Lea. The Reverend Mark Boorsma will officiate. Interment will be in
Geneva
Cemetery
.
Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. on Sunday at Bonnerup Funeral Service,
2210 East Main St.
,
Albert Lea
, and one hour before the service at the church.
Phil died on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at St. John’s Lutheran Home.
He was 85.
Van Philip Pence was born on April 6, 1924, to Ralph and Alice (Larson) Pence in
rural Blooming Prairie where he attended country school, graduating from
Ellendale
High School
in 1942.
Soon thereafter, Philip became employed with Jostens, worked on the family farm, and was united in marriage to Delphine H. Peterson on
April 20, 1945, in
Geneva
, where they made their home for many years.
Philip made
his life-long career at the Foundary in
Albert Lea
where he worked for 36 years.
Shortly
before retirement from the Foundary in
Albert Lea
, Philip and Delphine opened Phil’s
Saddleshop, which became a full-time commitment following retirement.
Philip
was a horse lover, having raised numerous horses and ponies.
He shoed horses, was active in the Albert Lea Saddle Club, took horses to the fair, was a volunteer
firefighter in
Geneva
, he enjoyed bowling, played in several card clubs, had a passion
for gardening, going on fishing trips with family and friends up north, and spending
time with family.
Following the sale of Phil’s Saddleshop, they moved to
Albert Lea
in 1989, where they
have
resided for 20 years.
In
Albert Lea
, Philip became a member of the Ascension
Lutheran
Church
, Eagles’s Club, and
Senior
Center
.
Philip also looked forward to fishing at
Fountain
Lake
for bullheads as well as meals out with friends.
Philip
greatly enjoyed playing cards, pool, and bingo with friends at the
Senior
Center
(this was the highlight of his life).
Philip is survived by his wife, Delphine, of
Albert Lea
, one son, Howard
(Gail) Pence of
Arlington
,
TX
, one daughter Dawn (Dwayne) Gross of Blooming
Prairie; four granddaughters, Holly (James) Vilgil of
Walsenburg
,
CO
; Tasha
(Dave) Gilbertson of Mantorville; Stacy Pence of
Manhattan
,
NY
; and Brandy
(Mike) Spain of Michigan; three grandsons, Brandon (Melanie) Gross of Claremont;
Howard Jr. (Allison) Pence of
Houston
,
TX
; Hunter Pence of
Houston
,
TX
; and
ten great grandchildren, sister-in-law Elaine Peterson of
Geneva
and nieces and nephews.
Philip was preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Alice, two brothers Kenneth and Benny.
