Andrew (Andy) Camile Laleman was born in Ypsilanti, ND on June 13, 1929 to Leon and Alice (VanLergerghe) Laleman. In the 1930’s Andrew moved with his family to the Green Valley area where they farmed. As a young, child Andrew helped out with the gardening and later with the farming. He went to country school through 7th grade and one year at the Cottonwood School.
On November 5, 1949 he was united in marriage to Florine DeMeyer at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. The couple raised four children, Lawrence, Joyce, Virgil and Julie. They farmed near Marshall for 6 years before moving to the family farm south of Cottonwood. In 1968 they moved to a farm northwest of Tracy. He retired from farming in 1992 and continued to live on the farm until 2009 when he moved to Hill Street Place in Marshall. In late June of 2018 as his health changed he moved to Morning Side Heights.
Andrew loved his family very much and enjoyed spending time with them. He loved to farm and tinker with his old tractors and would give his grandchildren and great grandchildren rides whenever they would visit. In his later years, he went with his son, Virgil, to a few tractor pulls using his own Oliver tractor and winning some trophies. One of his other wishes was to tour the John Deere tractor plant which he did with his son Larry and grandson. He saw the tractor as it was being built for Larry and was the first person to turn the key and start the tractor. Another one of Andrew’s highlights was a trip to Medjugorje in Bosnia, “A place of visionaries of the Blessed Virgin Mary" with his daughter, Julie and other relatives. He also made several trips to Wisconsin with his daughter, Joyce and husband Harold to see their grandkids. He loved the outdoors, nature and trees.
Andrew passed away peacefully on Friday, October 26, 2018 at the age of 89. He is survived by his children, Lawrence (and Katherine) Laleman of Currie, MN, Joyce (and Harold) Carstens of Hector, MN, Virgil (and Deanna) Laleman of Garvin, MN and Julie (and Robert) Linley of Colorado Springs, CO; 11 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren; sisters-in-laws, Patricia Wyffels and Marjorie Zeug; brother-in-law, Louie Buysse; many nieces, nephews and friends. Andrew is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Florine; siblings, George (and Alice) Laleman, Joe (and Theresa) Laleman, Mary Buysse, Margaret (and Eugene) Stassen.
In lieu of flowers, Andrews’s wishes were that memorials went to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
