Ronald S. Anfinson
May 4, 1924 - Oct. 21, 2006
BENSON -- Ronald Shelley Anfinson, 82, of Benson died Saturday at his home.
The service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church in Benson. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church and for one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson.
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He was born May 4, 1924, in Benson to Ole and Johanna (Johnson) Anfinson. He attended Southside Elementary and graduated from Benson High School in 1942. He attended St. Olaf College for one year and then joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. He trained as a pilot in San Antonio, Texas. He transferred to bombardier school and was stationed in England in 1944. He became the lead bombardier and flew missions to Germany, France and eastern Europe. He and his crew received a Lead Crew Commendation for a mission to Furth, Germany, on April 8, 1945. He returned to the United States in 1945.
He married Patricia Roth on Sept. 8, 1946, in Brainerd. He returned to Benson as an Army captain and commanded the Benson reserve unit for a time. He attended another semester at St. Olaf. They moved to Minneapolis and he attended the University of Minnesota as an English major. They returned to Benson in 1948. He worked in the construction business with his father at O.N. Anfinson and Son. He became a reporter at the Swift County Monitor News in 1955 and became editor in 1958. He became co-publisher with James Kinney of Glenwood in 1962. Anfinson, Kinney and others built Quinco Press Inc. in Lowry in 1968. Anfinson retired from the newspaper business in 1990.
He was a member of the Benson Kiwanis, VFW Post 1403, Masonic Lodge 129, the Benson Industrial Development Corporation and the Minnesota Newspaper Association.
He is survived by his wife; five sons: Mark (and Debbie) of St. Paul, Scott (and Pat) of Northfield, Reed (and Shelly) of Benson, John of Shoreview, Robert (and Anne) of Benson; 16 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one sister: Connie (and Jerry) Dabler of Tucson, Ariz.
He was preceded in death by his daughter: Susan; and one sister.
