(Report by Mark Davis for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution):
He gave courage a face. When Lars Alecksen of Eatonton talked about his daughter, a soldier slain by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, he always managed a smile, always shared warm memories of Army Spc. Erica Alecksen.
He'll smile no more. Alecksen, 51, died Tuesday night at his Putnam County home of a suspected heart attack.
"I really think it was a broken heart," said his wife, Doria Alecksen.
Now, Doria Alecksen is fielding phone calls, making funeral arrangements, keeping her son close. For Doria, 50, these activities are all too familiar. Erica, 21, was killed July 9 by an improvised explosive device, and was buried July 18 in Eatonton. The whole town turned out to say goodbye.
Now, she's pondering another service. "It's all a shock, so soon after Erica's death," said Doria, who observed her 24th wedding anniversary Aug. 20.
Lars had been working in the yard Tuesday afternoon, family members said, when he decided to take a bath. He called his son, Charles, to the bath: His chest hurt, the elder Alecksen told his son, and his arms tingled.
His son, 16, dialed 911 and administered CPR as paramedics hurried to the home. Doria, working in town, got a call to hustle, too.
"By the time I got home," she said, "it was too late."
"This was totally out of the blue," said Maurine Huggins, Lars Alecksen's mother-in-law. Twenty-four years ago, she stood in her front yard and smiled as her daughter, Doria, said her vows with a man she met in Wisconsin and convinced to move south. "Can you believe this?" (Posted: Aug. 29, 2012).
TY to fellow FGraver Don Wist (#46944613) for the following information -
He is survived by his wife, Doria (NOTE: Doria recently passed away, her memorial is FGrave #240070090), and their son, Charles, a student at Putnam County High School; son-in-law, Tim Bailey; parents, Dick and Betty Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; brother, Tove Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; sister, April Miller of LaCrosse, Wis.; father and mother-in-law, Hal and Maurine Huggins of Eatonton; sister-in-law, Lydia Huggins Ivanditti of Eatonton; brother-in-law, Fred (Serena Smith) Huggins, of Eatonton; and a host of other relatives and friends.
A funeral service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, from the Historic Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Eatonton. The Rev. Dave Hinson, pastor, officiated and presented the eulogy.
He was cremated following the service.
Bernard's Family Funeral Care, Eatonton, was in charge of arrangements.
He gave courage a face. When Lars Alecksen of Eatonton talked about his daughter, a soldier slain by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, he always managed a smile, always shared warm memories of Army Spc. Erica Alecksen.
He'll smile no more. Alecksen, 51, died Tuesday night at his Putnam County home of a suspected heart attack.
"I really think it was a broken heart," said his wife, Doria Alecksen.
Now, Doria Alecksen is fielding phone calls, making funeral arrangements, keeping her son close. For Doria, 50, these activities are all too familiar. Erica, 21, was killed July 9 by an improvised explosive device, and was buried July 18 in Eatonton. The whole town turned out to say goodbye.
Now, she's pondering another service. "It's all a shock, so soon after Erica's death," said Doria, who observed her 24th wedding anniversary Aug. 20.
Lars had been working in the yard Tuesday afternoon, family members said, when he decided to take a bath. He called his son, Charles, to the bath: His chest hurt, the elder Alecksen told his son, and his arms tingled.
His son, 16, dialed 911 and administered CPR as paramedics hurried to the home. Doria, working in town, got a call to hustle, too.
"By the time I got home," she said, "it was too late."
"This was totally out of the blue," said Maurine Huggins, Lars Alecksen's mother-in-law. Twenty-four years ago, she stood in her front yard and smiled as her daughter, Doria, said her vows with a man she met in Wisconsin and convinced to move south. "Can you believe this?" (Posted: Aug. 29, 2012).
TY to fellow FGraver Don Wist (#46944613) for the following information -
He is survived by his wife, Doria (NOTE: Doria recently passed away, her memorial is FGrave #240070090), and their son, Charles, a student at Putnam County High School; son-in-law, Tim Bailey; parents, Dick and Betty Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; brother, Tove Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; sister, April Miller of LaCrosse, Wis.; father and mother-in-law, Hal and Maurine Huggins of Eatonton; sister-in-law, Lydia Huggins Ivanditti of Eatonton; brother-in-law, Fred (Serena Smith) Huggins, of Eatonton; and a host of other relatives and friends.
A funeral service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, from the Historic Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Eatonton. The Rev. Dave Hinson, pastor, officiated and presented the eulogy.
He was cremated following the service.
Bernard's Family Funeral Care, Eatonton, was in charge of arrangements.
(Report by Mark Davis for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution):
He gave courage a face. When Lars Alecksen of Eatonton talked about his daughter, a soldier slain by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, he always managed a smile, always shared warm memories of Army Spc. Erica Alecksen.
He'll smile no more. Alecksen, 51, died Tuesday night at his Putnam County home of a suspected heart attack.
"I really think it was a broken heart," said his wife, Doria Alecksen.
Now, Doria Alecksen is fielding phone calls, making funeral arrangements, keeping her son close. For Doria, 50, these activities are all too familiar. Erica, 21, was killed July 9 by an improvised explosive device, and was buried July 18 in Eatonton. The whole town turned out to say goodbye.
Now, she's pondering another service. "It's all a shock, so soon after Erica's death," said Doria, who observed her 24th wedding anniversary Aug. 20.
Lars had been working in the yard Tuesday afternoon, family members said, when he decided to take a bath. He called his son, Charles, to the bath: His chest hurt, the elder Alecksen told his son, and his arms tingled.
His son, 16, dialed 911 and administered CPR as paramedics hurried to the home. Doria, working in town, got a call to hustle, too.
"By the time I got home," she said, "it was too late."
"This was totally out of the blue," said Maurine Huggins, Lars Alecksen's mother-in-law. Twenty-four years ago, she stood in her front yard and smiled as her daughter, Doria, said her vows with a man she met in Wisconsin and convinced to move south. "Can you believe this?" (Posted: Aug. 29, 2012).
TY to fellow FGraver Don Wist (#46944613) for the following information -
He is survived by his wife, Doria (NOTE: Doria recently passed away, her memorial is FGrave #240070090), and their son, Charles, a student at Putnam County High School; son-in-law, Tim Bailey; parents, Dick and Betty Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; brother, Tove Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; sister, April Miller of LaCrosse, Wis.; father and mother-in-law, Hal and Maurine Huggins of Eatonton; sister-in-law, Lydia Huggins Ivanditti of Eatonton; brother-in-law, Fred (Serena Smith) Huggins, of Eatonton; and a host of other relatives and friends.
A funeral service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, from the Historic Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Eatonton. The Rev. Dave Hinson, pastor, officiated and presented the eulogy.
He was cremated following the service.
Bernard's Family Funeral Care, Eatonton, was in charge of arrangements.
He gave courage a face. When Lars Alecksen of Eatonton talked about his daughter, a soldier slain by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, he always managed a smile, always shared warm memories of Army Spc. Erica Alecksen.
He'll smile no more. Alecksen, 51, died Tuesday night at his Putnam County home of a suspected heart attack.
"I really think it was a broken heart," said his wife, Doria Alecksen.
Now, Doria Alecksen is fielding phone calls, making funeral arrangements, keeping her son close. For Doria, 50, these activities are all too familiar. Erica, 21, was killed July 9 by an improvised explosive device, and was buried July 18 in Eatonton. The whole town turned out to say goodbye.
Now, she's pondering another service. "It's all a shock, so soon after Erica's death," said Doria, who observed her 24th wedding anniversary Aug. 20.
Lars had been working in the yard Tuesday afternoon, family members said, when he decided to take a bath. He called his son, Charles, to the bath: His chest hurt, the elder Alecksen told his son, and his arms tingled.
His son, 16, dialed 911 and administered CPR as paramedics hurried to the home. Doria, working in town, got a call to hustle, too.
"By the time I got home," she said, "it was too late."
"This was totally out of the blue," said Maurine Huggins, Lars Alecksen's mother-in-law. Twenty-four years ago, she stood in her front yard and smiled as her daughter, Doria, said her vows with a man she met in Wisconsin and convinced to move south. "Can you believe this?" (Posted: Aug. 29, 2012).
TY to fellow FGraver Don Wist (#46944613) for the following information -
He is survived by his wife, Doria (NOTE: Doria recently passed away, her memorial is FGrave #240070090), and their son, Charles, a student at Putnam County High School; son-in-law, Tim Bailey; parents, Dick and Betty Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; brother, Tove Alecksen of Manitowoc, Wis.; sister, April Miller of LaCrosse, Wis.; father and mother-in-law, Hal and Maurine Huggins of Eatonton; sister-in-law, Lydia Huggins Ivanditti of Eatonton; brother-in-law, Fred (Serena Smith) Huggins, of Eatonton; and a host of other relatives and friends.
A funeral service was held 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, from the Historic Sanctuary of First United Methodist Church in Eatonton. The Rev. Dave Hinson, pastor, officiated and presented the eulogy.
He was cremated following the service.
Bernard's Family Funeral Care, Eatonton, was in charge of arrangements.
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