Lloyd S. Otterson, 85, of rural Austin, Minnesota, passed away Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin.

Lloyd Sandford was born March 8, 1932, near Geneva, Minnesota, in Bath Township, Freeborn County. He attended Freeborn County country school. At age 15, Lloyd went to live and farm with Kermit (Gladys) Kvenvold until joining the service. He entered military service in the U.S. Army on Jan. 16, 1951, during the Korean War. Following his honorable discharge on Dec. 16, 1952, he returned home. He was united in marriage to Charlene Lester on Oct. 4, 1957, at Geneva Lutheran Church. Lloyd and Charlene lived in Freeborn, Minnesota, before moving to Austin in 1963. In October of 1968, they moved to the farm they purchased north of Austin. In his early years, Lloyd worked as a butter maker in Clarks Grove, Minnesota, and Otisco, Minnesota. He later worked as a mechanical tradesman for various businesses before starting his own mechanical business. In 1970, Lloyd began a long career with Farmstead Foods (formerly Wilson Foods) in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and retired in 1989 after 18 years of service. His true passion was farming; he loved working in the fields, raising cattle, and baling hay. He was a member of the Albert Lea American Legion Post 56 and the Albert Lea DAV Glaydon Iverson Chapter 16. Lloyd was always eager to help family and friends whenever needed and enjoyed tractors, the outdoors and tinkering.

Lloyd is survived by his wife, Charlene, of rural Austin; children, Sharon (Gary) Fisher of Owatonna, Minnesota, Dean (Jolene) Otterson of Hartland, Minnesota, Renae (Ron Thomas) Brackey of Albert Lea, LeAnn (Ralph) Miller of Owatonna, Linda (Mark ) Crom of Albert Lea, and Lori (Matt) Jordison of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; grandchildren, Cathleen Miller (Aaron), Nathaniel Fisher, Katie Jo Elmer (Chad), Elizabeth Fisher (Robert), Matthew Miller (Katie), Nicholas Otterson, Andrea Crom, Christy Crom, Caitie, Colby, Cydney and Corbin Pathammavong, Colin Jordison,  and Abby Jordison; great-grandchildren, Aubrey, Bryce, Hailey, and Abraham; brothers, Clifford (Margaret) Otterson, Dovain (Darlene) Otterson, and Odean (Margie) Otterson; many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; great-nieces and great-nephews; and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Omar and Sophia Otterson; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Annie Lester; siblings, Eugene Otterson, Raymond (Berneice) Otterson, Theresa (Maryls) Sorenson, and Rolf Otterson; sisters-in-law, Lana Otterson and Marie Guerrero; great-grandson, Corey Fisher; and son-in-law, Randy Brackey.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018, at First Lutheran Church in Blooming Prairie with Pastor Heidi Heimgartner officiating. Interment will follow in the Blooming Prairie Cemetery with military honors by the Blooming Prairie Honor Guard. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, at the Worlein Blooming Prairie Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service Thursday afternoon at church. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.