Corrine Sandkamp Rovang, 88, Albert Lea

Published 11:07 am Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Corrine Sandkamp Rovang, 88, of Albert Lea, Minn., died Friday, July 13, 2012, at Good Samaritan Center.

Corrine S. Rovang

Corrine was born Jan. 19, 1924, on a farm near Lake Park, Iowa. She was raised on a farm in the Glenville, Minn. area and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1940. Her parents were Walter “Joe” and Frieda Bendt Sandkamp. She was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church in Glenville. Corrine and her sister Cleo were 4-H members and frequently showed the Grand Champion and Reserve Champion steers at the Freeborn County Fair and also at the Junior Livestock Show in South St. Paul.

During World War II, Corrine worked at the American Gas Machine Company in Albert Lea until her mother’s death in 1944. She then quit her job to keep house for her father on the farm. Corrine worked for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Glenville, Albert Lea, Austin, Minn. and Owatonna, Minn. during her 35 years as a telephone operator. She was the supervisor who trained new operators. Corrine was united in marriage with Alfred Rovang on Nov. 18, 1945, in Glenville at First Lutheran Church. She enjoyed bowling, playing bridge and watching the Twins on television. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Albert Lea and she was a member of Telephone Pioneers.

Survivors include her daughter Lesley, husband Jim Finbraaten of Sun Lakes, Ariz., and son Jack and his wife Marilyn of Twin Lakes, Minn. Corrine is also survived by granddaughters Erika Finbraaten of Phoenix, Ariz., Angela and her husband John Ferrin of Gilbert, Ariz., and April Rovang Johnson of Rochester, Minn.; grandson, Shane Rovang and his wife, Lisa of Rochester; seven great-grandchildren, Stewart, Mitchell, Taylor and Kristi Ferrin, Ava Johnson and Jack and Rae Rovang; sister-in-law, Sylvia Satter; brothers-in-law, Leo Jordahl and Gerald Brown; nieces, nephews and many cousins.

Corrine was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred; parents, Joe and Frieda; sister, Cleo Brown; father and mother-in-law, Peter and Anna Rovang; sisters-in-law, Mabel Kvam, Gladys Hemming, Pearl Jordahl and Agnes Rovang; brothers-in-law, Palmer and Clarence Rovang and Willis Satter.

Funeral services for Corrine will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, 2012, at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Rev. Curtis Zieske will officiate. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Memorials are preferred to Trinity Lutheran Church. Online condolences are welcome at www.bayviewfuneral.com.