Mary Lorrene (Ludvigson) McAlister, 97

Published 10:48 am Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Mary Lorrene (Ludvigson) McAlister, 97

Mary Lorrene (Ludvigson) McAlister, 97, formerly of Austin, Minnesota, died Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017, in Rochester, Minnesota.

Mary was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on Feb. 19, 1919, and was the sixth of eight children born to Elmer and Mary Victoria (Richardson) Sowers. She graduated from East High in Des Moines and worked part time, helped out at home caring for her younger two sisters and summers with an older sister who owned and managed a resort near Crosslake, Minnesota. It was at this resort where she met her future husband, Alvin M. Ludvigson. They were married on Aug. 14, 1942, in Princeton, Missouri, and lived in Des Moines for approximately six years prior to moving to Austin, her husband’s hometown and making it their permanent residence. The couple had one child, Christene.

Mary worked several years at Gildner’s Clothing Store as a bookkeeper and secretary. Later she managed and retired from the S&H Green Stamp Store in 1974.

Mary and Alvin enjoyed vacationing and spending their retirement years in the Crosslake area until his death in 1993.

In 1998, she married Guy McAlister of Austin who died in 2007. After his death, she resided with her daughter and son-in-law in Rochester. Mary was a wonderful pianist, blessed with the ability to play piano by ear. She was also an avid reader and enjoyed cooking. She was a devoted friend to many and treasured time spent with family. She was a life long member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Christene Henricks, Rochester; grandsons, Douglas Henricks, Burnsville, Minnesota, and Benjamin (Kimberly) Henricks, Rochester; great-grandchildren, Cheyenne Henricks and Mason Henricks of Rochester; brother-in-law, Tom Cunconan, Richardson, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; first husband, Alvin Ludvigson; second husband, Guy McAlister; brothers DeForrest and Wayne Sowers; sisters Rosetta Sillick, Irene Freed-Wallin-Gau, Viola Thomas, Yvonna Hagman and Juanita Reed Cunconan; and son-in-law Herbert Henricks.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Thursday, Feb. 2 at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary with the Rev. Susan Rector Li officiating. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be at the mortuary one hour prior to the service on Thursday.