Albert Lea's finest

On Thursday Evening September 11, 2025 Genie and I attended the Clarks Grove area Heritage Society meeting in the Clarks Grove Museum in Clarks Grove, Minnesota.

The program was Sequoia Landscaping of Ellendale, a locally owned business with Angela and Alex Bell the founders of the business. 

 

Angela gave a most interesting tale of getting started and where they are today in the Landscaping business. (Alex you missed a great presenter) 

 

Genie and I attended the funeral of one of the Albert Lea’s finest down to earth leaders. 

We got to know Darryl Meyer through “Readers Theaters” , a group of older men and women playing and  acting out stories to elementary students in the Albert Lea school system. 

 

Daryyl was the type of person your mouth dropped when you found out all the community plus church activities he was involved in- even Albert Lea’s citizen of the year in 2023. 

 

For every good man there is an equally good lady, in Darryl's case her name is Jo. 

 

The rest of this column will be a, as I call it: “A running of words.” 

 

1. The governor of Utah was most “impressive” in his speaking to the nation on tv after the sense-less shooting. (He’s my kind of republican) 

2. The health field of medical care for older Americans is a mess. 

3. The term is “keep it simple stupid” . I refer you to Owatonna, Minnesota with Mayo and Allina in the same facility and now Olmsted Medical group coming to Owatonna. Competition is good but there are 3 competitors in one town !!

4. Our friendly neighbor to the north (Canada) is struggling with forest fires while some of our politicians are complaining rather than volunteering to help. 

5. I was sad to see Albert Lea Seed House eliminating some of the products they are selling and going to farm type products. On the positive side this could be the opening for a local business specializing in products Albert Lea Seed House will no longer be handling. 

6. Did you know your cat in Albert Lea just might need a cat license? The license is 10 dollars per year with necessary paperwork from a veterinarian regarding rabies etc. 

7. We have a red tail Hawk in our area. There will be all kinds of birds until the hawk makes a funny sounding noise and all the birds leave!! 

8. Best sign at a community center: Terrible summer for humpty dumpty, but he had a great fall.

9. Genie and I reminisced about where we were on 9-11, did you? We were in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. 

 

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in New York. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.