Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Childhood friend passes

Growing up in rural Alexandria, we didn't farm, but almost all our neighbors did. So when we attended the Oak Grove one-room country school for the first six or eight years of our matriculation, we got to learn a lot about farm kids and their working families. We learned many had forefathers from a land called Bohemia. 
One of the farm kids was Roland, the easiest-going one in the high-energy Trousil family, a gentle boy, not that athletic, not that studious, just a nice fellow to know. Have not seen him for almost fifty years. Today we saw his obituary, and found it a comfort that Roland had kept the home fires burning for a lifetime on the old place up the road.
His obituary says that two of his Oak Grove classmates, Marlow and Roger Kluver, were there to carry his casket.
Here's the published record of his life:
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Roland Allen Trousil was born November 24, 1945 in Alexandria, MN, the son of Martin and Eldore (Hanson) Trousil. He was raised in the Alexandria area and attended school in Alexandria. After graduating from Jefferson High School in 1963 Roland worked with his father on the farm that Martin bought in 1954 east of Lake Andrew.


Roland farmed for many years. In 1972 he purchased the farm from his father. Roland loved farming and was good with the animals. He milked up to forty-seven cows. He was proud of his herd of Holsteins. Over the years he bred red & white Holsteins until his entire herd was red & white. He also loved working with his dogs over the years. Roland’s work on the farm was his hobby. After he sold the cows and retired from farming in 1999 he moved to Long Prairie, MN where he purchased a farm. Two years later Roland returned to Lake Mary Township and bought the Dynda farm south of Lake Andrew. Although he rented out the land Roland continued working around the farm. He always wanted to keep busy improving his place.

Roland also had a passion for restoring old tractors. He completed thirty-one full restorations. His preferred tractor was always an International.

On Monday, June 25, 2012 Roland died at his farm at the age of sixty-six years. His parents preceded him in death. Roland is survived by his brothers, Merle Trousil and wife, Cindy, of Alexandria and Warren Trousil of Bertha, MN; one sister, Sonja Zeithamer and husband, Richard, of Alexandria; and nieces and nephews, John Zeithamer and wife, Tammy, Twylla Vickmark and husband, Dan, Darren Trousil, Delane Trousil, Shelly Trousil, Jim Trousil and Jason Trousil.

A funeral service will be held at 11 AM, Friday, June 29, 2012 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Alexandria. Rev. David Wangaard will officiate. Sandy Buckner will provide music. Interment will follow in the Bohemian Independent Cemetery in Lake Mary Township. Casket bearers include Marlow Kluver, Roger Kluver, Arnie Schlosser, Fred Staples, Jim Trousil, Jason Trousil, Warren Engelbrecht and Darren Trousil. Honorary casket bearers include Bob Finnegan, Kenny Rutten and Paul Anderson. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 PM Thursday at the Anderson Funeral Home and also one hour prior to the service at church.

Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home.