Alfred Brodie

Alfred S. “Al” Brodie, age 88 of Faribault, MN passed away on Friday, October 1, 2021 at the Pleasant Manor Nursing Home.

Alfred Sidney, the son of Joseph and Shirley (Berkovitz) Brodie was born on October 4, 1932 in St. Paul, MN and moved with his family to Faribault in 1945, where his father owned and operated an appliance store.  He attended Faribault High School and graduated with the class of 1950.  After high school he briefly attended the University of Minnesota, but in 1951 he answered the call to duty to serve his country during the Korean War and served four years in the U.S. Air Force.  After his service time he returned to Faribault and joined his father in running the appliance store.  In 1964 they sold the business.  That same year Al was named president of the Faribault Jaycees and was named the “Outstanding Young Man of the Year” in Faribault and was given the Jaycees Golden Key Award.  For five years he traveled on the road selling appliances.  In September of 1968 he was united in marriage to Dorothy Hoeschen in Minneapolis, MN.  Dorothy preceded him in death on Dec. 16, 2015.  From 1969 to 1977 he worked for the Minnesota Retail Merchants Association and sold memberships and had his first taste of lobbying at the Capitol for the retail merchants.  Over the years he represented different businesses, then in 1979, he was hired by the Minnesota Motel Association as its executive director and lobbyist.  A little later he also assumed the duty of executive director of the Minnesota Association of Campground Operators.  He retired in 1994.  In retirement Al worked very closely with the Faribault Chamber of Commerce and Tourism committee.  In 2011 he was inducted into the Minnesota Hospitality Hall of Fame and was very honored by this.

Throughout his life Al enjoyed fishing and traveling North America in his motorhomes, especially during his retirement years where they would spend many winters in Arizona.  Al enjoyed getting together with his friends and many of them will remember him smoking his cigars and enjoying a cocktail.

He is survived by his sons, David J. Brodie and Lori Halbur of St. Paul, MN and Joseph A. Brodie of Roseville, MN; by grandchildren, Aric Brodie of St. Paul and Olivia Brodie of Chattanooga, TN and by other relatives and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and sister and brother-in-law, Phyliss and Albert Story.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 11, 2021 at 3:00 p.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home with Rabbi Esther Adler of Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, officiating.  Interment will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis at a later date.

Memorial visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home on Monday afternoon from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to River Bend Nature Center or Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul in memory of Al.

The family requests that those attending Al’s visitation and funeral please be fully vaccinated and masks will be required.  Thank you for your understanding.