Alfred Andersen, Long-time machinist, died at Memorial Community Hospital Wednesday, October 22nd. He had been in failing health for some time.

Anders Alfred Andersen, known to everyone in the Blair area as "Al" was born in Denmark March 10th, 1900. He was 69 years old at the time of his death. Al grew to manhood in Denmark and served 6 months in the Danish navy before coming to the United States.

Coming to American, he settled at Blair and carried on his trade as a blacksmith and machinist. On January 12, 1933 he was married to Miss Helen Newkirk who was a native of the west part of Washington County.

For a number of years the Andersens have lived at 353 South 22nd street in Blair. For a time Al did blacksmith work but as the mechanical age progressed he became proficient as a machinist. He worked for many years with the late Chris Petersen who ran a machine shop and Al was with Petersen at the time the Petersen and Haecker firm built the first river towboats on the river bank at the Blair bridge. In more recent years he has been a machinist with Kelly Ryan at the Blair Manufacturing Co.

He is survived by his wife, Helen and by two sons and three daughters. The sons are Davie Andersen, of Huntington Beach, Calif, and Doyle Andersen of Omaha. The daughters are Mrs. Arlen Schneider (Bette) of Kennard; Miss Laura Andersen who is at home in Blair; and Mrs. Larry Koglin, (Lois) who also lives in Blair.

There are 16 grandchildren. A sister, Miss Elna Andersen lives in Copenhagen.

Funeral services were held at the First Lutheran church at 2 P.M. Saturday with the Rev. Robert Albers conducting the service. Burial under the direction of the Bendorf Funeral Home was made in the Orum cemetery west of Blair.

Active pallbearers were Doyle and Dayle Andersen, Arlen Schneider, Larry Coglin, Frank Briggs and Vigo Thomsen.

Honorary pallbearers were Kelly Ryan, Stanley Ohrt, Clyde Larson, Kenneth Brechbill, George King and Vernon Tuttle.