Funeral Services for Albert Lautner, 90, of Jefferson will be 10:00 am Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Jefferson. Visitation will be after 11:00 am Monday, January 18, 2010 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson with the family present to greet friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Interment will be in Dawson Township Cemetery near Paton, Iowa. Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson is in charge of arrangements.

Albert Lautner, son of Adam and Louisa Lautner, was born November 16, 1919 in Perry County, Indiana at home.  He went to school in Troy, Indiana thru the 10th grade.  He quit school to help his dad on the farm.  Both of his great grandparents came from Germany.  He attended the Lutheran Church which was 8 miles from his home.  Albert had a colorful childhood which he shared freely.  They warmed bricks to keep their feet warm on their buggy ride to church.  One of them always stayed behind, to keep the wood burner going.  During the depression they grew 2 acres of garden; mostly tomatoes and took them to the canning factory in town which was good money.  They also would take meat to town to sell.  They would butcher up to 6 hogs at a time and would layer them with salt to cure.  They also made 40-50 gallons of wine a year.  Their refrigerator was a barrel cut in ½ with 50# of ice and covered with straw.  They always prayed before meals in German.  All plates were cleaned up and all sat still until everyone was finished.  Dad ruled, no questions asked.  Bedtime prayers were also in German.  Some prices he shared were 1 gallon of milk was 62 cents, 1 gallon of gas was 9 cents, bread 10 cents and the average car was $600.

The funniest thing was him and his brothers would put a hole in a kernel of corn and put a string through it and entice the chickens.  As it was swallowed they would lead the chicken around the barnyard!  They had two seats to the outhouse.  One was kept behind the wood stove and taken so that they could have a warm seat.  Albert also worked in a furniture factory in Tell City, Indiana before coming to Iowa.  He moved to Iowa in 1938 with his brother and got a job on the farm.  He then returned for a short time to Indiana.  Albert and Bernice corresponded by mail during this time until his return in 1939.  He then got a job as a hired man.  Albert and Bernice were married on October 20, 1940 and moved to the family farm, where he continued farming until the early 1970’s.  He then took a position as manager of a fertilizer plant south of Paton, Iowa for several years before retiring to their home in Paton.  They then moved to an apartment in Jefferson where he enjoyed playing pool and visiting with many friends and knew no strangers.

Albert was preceded in death by his parents, 2 daughters Sandra Lautner and Linda Louk; two grandchildren; 2 brothers; and 1 sister.  He is survived by his wife Bernice of Jefferson; his daughters Karon (Curly) Long of Mesa, Arizona, Janis (Craig) Sorenson of Churdan, Iowa, and Rosie (Doug) Sukovaty of Jefferson, Iowa; his son Andy (Krisi) Lautner of Gowrie, Iowa; his sisters Nelda Dome of Indiana, Edith Geisler of Farnhamville, Iowa; his brother Eugene Lautner of Indiana; 9 grandchildren; and 17 great grandchildren.