Elroy Flaten

Elroy "Roy" J. Flaten age 85, of rural Atwater, died Thursday morning, July 24, at the Fairview University Hospital in Minneapolis.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, July 29, at Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Willmar.  Military Honor Guard will be provided by the Austin F. Hanscom American Legion Post #167 of Willmar.  Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Monday, July 28, at Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Willmar are preferred.  www.petersonbrothers.com
Elroy "Roy" J. Flaten was born on August 21, 1928, in Willmar, Minnesota, the son of Balder and Alta (Peterson) Flaten.  He grew up in Atwater, graduating from Atwater High School in 1945 and continuing his education at Macalester College graduating in 1949 with a degree in Mathematics.  He attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota until 1950 and then began teaching math in Wabasso.  On October 20, 1951, Roy was married to Margaret "Marge" A. Mielke.  They lived in Denver Colorado where Roy served in the U.S. Army at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.  Later they moved to West St. Paul, Minnesota where Roy was employed for 32 years with the 3M Company.  He retired in 1988 and moved to Lake Elizabeth near Atwater.  He was an active member of Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church and a volunteer for the Kandiyohi County Economic Development Commission.  Roy was an avid reader, a master gardener and enjoyed woodworking.
He is survived by his loving wife, Marge of rural Atwater; four daughters, Gretchen (and Brad) Biggerstaff of Puyallup, WA., Nan Flaten of Dallas, TX., Erika Flaten of Hastings, MN., and Jennifer (and Brian) Shaul of Colorado Springs, CO; four grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.  Also surviving is one brother, Leo Flaten of Minneapolis and one sister, Helen Diers of Eagan, besides other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister and eight brothers.