Alden Russell Ostlie was born July 10, 1922 on the farm located in the northeast quarter of section 19 in Eureka Township, Lakeville, MN to the parents of Adolph Ludwig and Mabel Annettie (Hammer) Ostlie. Russ was the second of three boys born into this family. He was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith at Christiania Lutheran Church. He attended the local rural school district and completed school up until the 8th grade. On December 30, 1943 he married Iola Mardell Johnson and in their first years of marriage lived in a small home at the bottom of the hill of where Russ grew up. Russ and Adolph farmed together while living on the same land and purchased land together when they could. In approximately 1953, Russ and Mardell purchased the Christ Christensen farm in section 31 of Eureka Township and moved from their tiny home at the bottom of the hill to a home that could accommodate their growing family. Four children were born to Russ and Mardell, Wynn Russell, Richard Edwin, Thomas Ray, and Joan Marvel. Russ was a crop and livestock farmer all of his life, but also worked for Green Giant for several years to make ends meet.

Russ was a life member of Christiania Lutheran Church and enjoyed his coffee time at the "farmers table" either before or after he attended the church service. Russ was a farmer at heart and everything he did revolved around the farm. Helping his children with their farming operations or assisting neighbors with harvest or other tasks were not uncommon for him. He enjoyed his farm equipment and even had one of the first tractors his family purchased, a 1938 Huber completely refurbished. He enjoyed taking it to the Dakota County Fair and exhibiting it in the tractor parade. Besides farming, Russ enjoyed some traveling with his wife before her death in 1986. He often reminisced about how many states that their car had been through. Family was important to Russ and though he did not verbally convey it often, he was proud of his children and grandchildren. He will be truly missed.

Survivors include his sons and daughters-in-law, Wynn and Pat of Farmington, Richard and Carol of rural Lakeville, Tom and Karen of rural Lakevile and daughter and son-in-law Joan and Jack Eckdahl of rural Lakeville; seven grandchildren and spouses, Jason Ostlie of rural Lakeville, Julie and Jerry Fish and son, Michael of rural Elko, Bryan and Jane Ostlie and son, Jack of Farmington, Jim and Laura Ostlie and children Lilly and Riley of Paynesville, Jill Eckdahl of Farmington, Emily Eckdahl of Bloomington, and Joe and Melinda Ostlie of Lonsdale. He was preceded in death by his wife Mardell in 1986, brother's Edwin in 2003 and Ray in 2008.

Russ passed away at the Three Links Care Center in Northfield, on Monday morning, August 9, 2010, at the age of 88.

Services will be at 6 PM on Friday, August 13, 2010, at Christiania Lutheran Church in rural Lakeville with Rev. David Mesaros officiating. Interment will be in East Christiania Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 4PM on Friday at the church.

Arrangements are Benson & Langehough Funeral Home.