Ira Vanasperen

Ira L.Van Asperen, age 71 of Faribault and formerly of Lonsdale, died unexpectedly on Monday, October 10, 2011.             Memorial services will be held on Friday, October 14, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory of Faribault with Pastor Bryan Surrett of First Baptist Church in Waterville, MN officiating.             Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday for one hour prior to services.             Ira LeRoy VanAsperen, the son of Andreis and Alyce (Flagg) VanAsperen, was born on October 6, 1940 in Avon, South Dakota. He attended Bellflower High School in Bellflower, CA and graduated with the class of 1959. After high school he began a 10 year career in the United States Navy. On July 31, 1960 he was united in marriage to Clara Ernsberger in Lakewood, CA. Ira's Naval career stationed them in California and Minnesota and after his service career they moved back to California. In 1971 they moved to Minnesota and settled in Lonsdale. Ira worked as a machinist at Savage Tool and Die and in 1979 opened his own business, Van's Machine Service, Inc. in Lonsdale. This business was built on his engineering experience and expertise. He operated his company until 2009. During that time Ira was Pastor at the Lonsdale Evangelical Free Church for 3 years. In 1997 they moved to Faribault. He enjoyed remodeling and improving the home that they had purchased along with his rental properties. He was multi-talented and could fix anything. He could look at problems that people were having with projects and would be able to come up with a solution. Ira was also a talented artist and enjoyed painting and sketching. He was a kind and friendly person that always made others feel good about themselves and what they were doing.             He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Clara VanAsperen of Faribault; by three children, Brian (Lynell) Van Asperen of Elysian, MN and their children, Emily and Rachel, Debra Yates of Lake Crystal, MN and her children, Jeremiah and Rebekah and Felice (Scott) Steele of North St. Paul, MN and their children, Joselyn (Joe) Lund, Mark and Michael; by his daughter in law, Lynell (Voehl) VanAsperen of Mankato; by three great grandchildren, Eston and Jewel Yates and Arabella Lund; by four brothers, Andy (Laverne) VanAsperen of Point, TX, Wallace (Lee) VanAsperen of Big Bear Lake, CA, Morris (Anne) VanAsperen of Buford, GA and Richard VanAsperen of Penbroke, NH and by other relatives and friends.             He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Delores Carey and by his adopted son, Michael VanAsperen in 2003.