Howard M. Oakeson

Howard M. Oakeson, 87, of Grand Island, formerly of St. Paul, died Friday, April 25, 2008, at the Nebraska Veterans Home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Christ Lutheran Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Thomas Clark will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul, with graveside military honors by Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 of St. Paul. Visitation will be Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Oakeson was born on Sept. 13, 1920, at Cushing, the son of Martin and Emma (Martinsen) Oakeson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Frieda M. Oakeson on Sept. 15, 2006. He is survived by one daughter, Carmen Kurz of St. Paul; one son, Robert Oakeson of Glendale, Ariz.; one sister, Hildur Petersen of St. Paul. He is also survived by five grandsons, Brandon and Rhonda Kurz of Phoenix, Chris Kurz of Lincoln, Eric and Amy Oakeson of Golden, CO, Kevin Oakeson of Phoenix and David Oakeson of Phoenix; and three great-grandchildren, Alex Bryant Kurz and Addison Marie Kurz, both of Phoenix and Lauren Elizabeth Oakeson of Golden, CO. Howard grew up at Cushing and graduated from Cushing High School in 1938 and then attended the Grand Island Business College. He then worked for Clayton Petersen Oil Company in St. Paul and Grand Island. He was united in marriage to Frieda M. Helzer on May 16, 1941 at Palmer. The couple lived in Grand Island until Oct. 1942 when he was inducted in the U.S. Army Air Force and was discharged in Nov. 1945, after serving 18 months in the States and 18 months in the European theater of war. In April 1946, he went into a NAPA Auto Parts business in St. Paul with Clayton Petersen. Howard managed the store until 1967, when he purchased the business. He and Frieda owned the business until their retirement in 1994. In October 2004 the couple moved to the Riverside Lodge in Grand Island. He had been living at the Nebraska Veterans Home for the past year. He was a 1946 charter member of Christ Lutheran Church. He was also a very active member of the Carl Mogensen American Legion Post 119 for over 62 years. He was a past Commander, member of the American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps and a member of the American Legion Military Funeral Honors Team. In addition to his wife, Frieda, he was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Edna Cook and Verna Wurman; and one brother, Paul Oakeson. Memorials are suggested to Christ Lutheran Church or to the family’s choice.