John J. Oslund

Oslund John J. Oslund Sr., age 74, of S. Mpls. Retired from Minnesota Grain Pearling of Cannon Falls. Survived by beloved wife of 51 years, Catherine "Rene"; five children, John J. (Bonnie), Thomas (Nancy), Patricia Bremer, Duchie (David) Van Hoven and Jane "Pooga" Oslund; 4 grandchildren, Abigail and Jon Oslund and Ingrid and Lars Oslund; brother Frank (Clara); sister Katie New. Mass of Christian Burial Monday 11 AM at the Church of Our Lady of Peace, 54th St. and 11th Av. S. Private Internment, St. Pius V Cemetery, Cannon Falls. Visitation Monday one hour prior to Mass at church only. John was a graduate of the University of Minnesota and worked as a mechanical engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corp., Honeywell Inc., TAC Engineering, Harris Stewart contractors, Minnesota Malting Co. and Minnesota Grain Pearling Co. At Minnesota Malting, he designed a barley germinating process that became known as "the secret of the kernel.'' He was a long-time board member of the Security State Bank in Cannon Falls, the town where he attended high school in the 1940s, met the banker's daughter and was married in 1952. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and served as navigator aboard B-29s from 1951 to 1954. On Nov. 1, 1952, his squadron participated in Operation Ivy, the detonation of the first hydrogen bomb on Eniwetok Atoll in the South Pacific. He became a private pilot in the 1960s. He was a devoted husband and father, a loyal friend and an avid golfer. On occasion, he also answered to the names of "Carl'' and "Chumley.'' When friends would ask him how he was doing, he'd often reply: "Finer than frog hair.'' The family takes comfort in knowing that, in his passing, John is once again finer than frog hair. The family prefers memorials to the Alzheimer's Association, 919 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1100, Chicago, Illinois 60611. (800-272-3900 or alz.org) or Our Lady of Peace Church. GILL BROTHERS 612-861-6088

Published on March 8, 2003