Alfred F. Turek

Alfred Frank Turek, 94, died on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019, at Oakwood Care Center, in Clear Lake.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 4th St., Clear Lake.  Inurnment will be held at Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, following the service.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the memorial service at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.

The family requests that donations in Al’s memory be made to Hospice of North Iowa.

Alfred “Al” Frank Turek, son of Bohemian immigrants, Frank and Theresa (Sager) Turek, was born on April 22, 1925, in Bigfork, Minn., the third of three children. He attended and graduated from Deer River High School in June 1942. Following graduation, Al began his career with Great Lakes/Williams Brothers Pipeline, in Minneapolis, Minn. His career was interrupted when he joined the United States Navy on April 16, 1943. Following flight school, he served as a naval aviator on the USS Fall River CA131. He was honorably discharged on Oct. 25, 1946.

Al returned to Alexandria, Minn. and continued his employment with the pipeline as a Chief Testor and Terminal Assistant. Al married Kathryn “Kay” Sherlin on Sept. 18, 1948, in Alexandria, Minn. The couple’s four children were born in Alexandria prior to Al’s transfer to Olathe, Kan. and then to Clear Lake in 1964 where he served as the Terminal Superintendent. It was in Clear Lake that they raised their children, Kathleen, Timothy, Thomas and Pamela. Kathryn “Kay” died unexpectedly on Oct. 24, 1972.

Al met June E. Van Duzer and they were married Nov. 3, 1973, at the Clear Lake United Methodist Church. Al transferred with the pipeline as a Terminal Superintendent to Kansas City, Mo. in 1973 and then to Sioux Falls, S.D. as a Division Manager in 1979, retiring from the pipeline in October 1982 after 40 years of employment.

The couple retired to Quitman, Ark., in 1983 where they built a home on Pryor Mountain overlooking Greers Ferry Lake. They shared a love for adventure and travel. They traveled all 50 states and Europe, enjoying hiking, walking, bird watching, boating, fishing and camping. They traveled and cruised Alaska and river rafted in Arkansas. They spent many winters in Winter Haven, Fla. In April 2012 they returned to Clear Lake to be near family. June preceded Al in death on Jan. 24, 2015.

Al was a member and volunteer in the Rotary, Kiwanis, and Optimist organizations. He was a Toastmaster and a member of the VFW American Legion.

Al treasured his family and took great pleasure in watching and participating in the lives of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is survived by his children: Kathy (Bob) Petersen, of Galena, Ill., Tim (Kay) Turek and Tom Turek, of Clear Lake, Pam (Jim) Travaille, of Ocheyedan, Iowa. He also leaves June’s children, Julie (Jim) Elting, of Madison, Conn. and Marilyn (Steve) Johnson, of Clear Lake. He is also survived by his loving grandchildren, Tyler (Kristin) Turek, Connor Turek and Theresa (Jon) Brown, Clint (Jackie) Turek, Sheldon (Brittany Maxwell) Turek, Caleb Turek, Matt (Amanda) Travaille, Katie (Aaron) Techen, Heather (Kris) Woods, Bobby (Zandra) Petersen, Ryan (Marthe) Elting, Andrew (Jessica) Elting, and Abbie (Jason) Smith; and 24 great-grandchildren.  Al is also survived by several nieces and nephews with whom he maintained relationships with during his lifetime.

Al was preceded in death by his wives, Kathryn “Kay” and June; his sisters, Anna Turek and Emma DeGrood; and June’s grandson, Gregory Johnson.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.