Charles Albin Nordlund

Charles A. Nordlund age 80 of Cambridge passed away peacefully at Cambridge Medical Center on January 3, 2022.

Charles was born on May 11, 1941 to Roy and Minnie Nordlund in Clithrall, MN. He grew up on a farm in Ottertail, MN dreaming about becoming a singing cowboy like his boyhood hero, Roy Rogers. He left the farm for the big city and started working at Bokers as a Tool & Die machinist for 28 years before starting his own business at C&L Tool in his back yard in Coon Rapids.

On September 9, 1972, Charles was united in marriage to LaVon Helen Holen at a Lutheran church in South Minneapolis.  They lived in South Minneapolis and also in Northeast Minneapolis before moving to Blaine.  While in Blaine, their two sons, Daniel and David, were born. After 10 years, they built a home in Coon Rapids.  In 1999, Charles hired Charlie Slater to move their move their home to Springvale and have been there ever since.

Charlie was a collector of many things including Old John Deere tractors, his favorite was his BO Lindeman Crawler, which his cobbled together from two tractors purchased in Washington State and Saskatchewan Canada; and many cars and trucks, his favorites were his 1957 Cadillac, which won him many car show trophies and his 1946 Ford truck.  His other passion was collecting and building guitars and banjos.  He was a self-taught guitar player and he loved playing the guitars that he built.  He played often at GracePointe Crossing nursing home and at Springvale Baptist Church.

Like his wife, LaVon, he was a member of the Garden Club in Cambridge.  He was an avid big-game hunter, hunting elk in the Bitter Root Mountain Valley, moose in Canada and whitetail deer in Minnesota. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association MDHA awarded Charlie “The Most Ethical Hunter of the Year Award”.  He also enjoyed fishing in Canada with his sons at the Sydney Lake Lodge in Ontario, catching walleyes and monster northerns.  He loved working with his hands and had to keep them busy.  He built a log cabin on Spitzer Lake in Ottertail. He also built “little log cabin” bird houses, his last one was a duplex for the birds.

When he wasn’t tinkering in his shop, he loved to travel with LaVon to Las Vegas, Hawaii, Jamaica, Alaska and Bowling Green, Kentucky to Bill Monroe’s, “The Home of Kentucky Blue Grass Music”.  He also enjoyed frequenting the casinos in Minnesota and Wisconsin and just visiting with friends and drinking a good cup of coffee.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents Roy& Minnie; sister Luella and wife, LaVon.

He is survived by his sons Dan Nordlund of Cambridge and Dave (Mary) Nordlund of Isanti; grandson Adam Nordlund of Isanti; special friend and Angel sent from heaven Marsha Gerten of St. Francis; siblings Willis Nordlund, Mary Ann Hagen, Vernon Nordlund, Verna (Stan) DeBough and Nita (Jim) Barker as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Memorial service 11 AM Thursday Jan 20, 2022 at Long Lake Lutheran Church 3921 277th Ave NW. Isanti, MN

Visitation 1 hour prior to service at the church.  Interment will be private.

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