Date of Birth:
Wednesday, September 15, 1943
Date of Death:
Sunday, December 28, 2025
Age:
82 years old

Allen Huseby

Allen Garry Huseby, age 82, of Rochester, MN died December 28, 2025 at Charter House. He was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN on September 15, 1943 to Aaron Huseby and Eunice (Torgerson) Huseby and grew up on a dairy farm next to Adams, MN. He graduated from Mankato State University in December, 1966 and was drafted into the U.S. Army weeks later. He completed basic training at Fort Lewis, WA and Fort Ord, GA. He served as a Military Police Sentry Dog handler in the newly formed 981^st Company at Pleiku, Vietnam throughout 1968. He was a proud member of Adams, MN American Legion Post 146 and received a Quilt of Valor.

While serving in Vietnam, he exchanged letters girlfriend and future wife Bernice (Gilgenbach) Huseby and their love grew. Al was discharged from the Army in December 1968. In 1969, he began a 35-year career in the Business Office at the Mayo Clinic. He married Bernice on June 21, 1969 at Sacred Heart Church in Adams, MN. She would love and guide him through life. Together they raised two children and supported them in every way. He was a 4-H leader, school advisory board member, sports booster and volunteer helping build the Mayo High School football bleachers. He rarely missed a music performance, sporting event or 4-H activity. He cherished time with his five grandsons by attending their activities, sharing his love of nature and creating adventures together.

Al was passionate about his hobbies. He loved traveling and camping, especially in the western United States. He visited most of the 50 states and many countries in Europe and Asia. His most meaningful trip was to his ancestral village of Leikanger in the Sognefjord region of Norway.

He loved good books, good music and good horses. He even wrote a book “Prairie Roots”. As a self-taught guitarist, he loved playing and singing 50s rock and roll. He also performed with a bluegrass group at Charlie’s in Rochester. Over the years he owned and trained many horses and was always ready to help a neighbor move cattle, join roundups, or go on hunting trips in the western U.S. as a trusted horse wrangler. He was one of the organizers of the Rattlesnake Crossing Trail Ride in rural Rochester. He enjoyed crafting halters, braided martingales, and leather chaps for fellow horse lovers.

Nature was sacred to him and he embraced the Ojibway philosophy of caring for the earth and for people. Al believed peace would replace war and love would conquer the hate. He felt that life should be remembered less for what you’ve done and more for who you’ve been.

He is survived by his wife Bernice; children Jennifer (Kurt) Zetah of Rochester and James Huseby of Flower Mound, TX; grandsons Christopher, Joshua and Nicholas Zetah, Jacob and Aaron Huseby; sisters Shirley (Porter) Hemingway, Carol (Wayne) Schramm and Janet (Randy) Stephenson; in-laws Jeanette (Gene) Smith and David (Karen) Gilgenbach; many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is preceded in death by twin sons John and Michael, his parents, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Kenneth and Barbara Gilgenbach.

The family would like to thank Seasons Hospice for their compassionate care in his final months, the Charter House third floor Supportive Living staff for care the final week, Dr. Thomas for over twenty years of medical care, his doctors at the Mayo Clinic, and the staff and residents of Charter House for their kindness and friendship.

A memorial service will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026 at Zumbro Lutheran Church, 624 3rd Ave. SW, Rochester, MN 55902. Visitation will be held 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday, January 2, 2026 at the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home, 1105 12th St. SE, Rochester, MN 55904 and one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. Sunday, January 4, 2026 at Little Cedar Cemetery, Adams, MN. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ronald McDonald House, Channel One Food Bank, or Seasons Hospice. To share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.mackenfuneralhome.com