Alfield "Alfie" Erlien, age 86, of Twin Valley, Minnesota, died Sunday, September 12, 2010, in her home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.

Alfield Norma Dahle was born November 8, 1923, the daughter of Albert and Nora (Kaste) Dahle in Fertile, Minnesota. She grew up on a farm near Fertile, attended rural school and graduated from Fertile High School. Being the oldest child, Alfie worked on the family farm helping her parents with milking chores and farm work. After graduation, Alfie furthered her education at Interstate Business College in Fargo, North Dakota. As a young woman, she was employed by the Thomas Powers family in Fargo as a nanny. She later worked at Munsingwear in Minneapolis as an executive secretary. On September 15, 1946, Alfie was united in marriage to Ellef Erlien at Concordia Lutheran Church in Fertile. To this union four children were born: Darryl, Duane, Sharon and Yvonne. They made their home in the Twin Cities and Blue Earth, Minnesota, for several years. In 1959, they moved to Twin Valley where they purchased the Wagstrom Funeral Home. As co-owner of the Erlien Funeral Home, Alfie took an active role in the business in addition to raising her family and being involved in the community. After the sale of the funeral home in 1983, they continued to make their home in Twin Valley.

Alfie enjoyed being a homemaker and raising her family, but she always had time for serving others. She was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church where she taught and loved the children in the primary department of Sunday school. She was very involved in numerous church activities. Alfie's love of sewing contributed to making baptismal towels and the quilts given to graduating seniors. Alfie was involved with delivering meals-on-wheels and serving meals at the Valley Pines meal site. In her free time Alfie enjoyed bowling, reading, rosemaling, embroidering dish cloths, doing cross stitch, making baby quilts, and vegetable gardening. Alfie loved spending time with her grandchildren and gave each one a hand-made quilt as a graduation gift. Alfie's coffee pot was always on and loved to visit with friends and family.

Over the years, she and Ellef made eight trips to Norway, trips to Hawaii and Florida and traveled around the country on bus tours. The couple also enjoyed the time spent with friends and family at their lot on Tulaby Lake. Alfie was a past member of the Legion Auxiliary, Sons of Norway, Study Club, and RSVP of the Red River Valley.

Alfie is survived by her husband of 64 years, Ellef of Twin Valley, MN; sons, Darryl (Marianne) Erlien of Circle Pines, MN, Duane (Betsy) Erlien of Andover, MN, Sharon (Jim) Peterson of Rice Lake, WI and Yvonne (Tom) Ryan of Mahnomen, MN; 10 grandchildren, David (Christine) Erlien, Brian (Leann Dauer) Erlien, Erin Roering, Janna (Chris Orkney) Erlien, Steve (Jennifer) Peterson, Derek (Debbie) Erlien, Paul Roering, Kristi (Tim) Heath, Brianna Erlien and Kelsey Erlien; two great-grandchidren, Elliana Erlien and Owen Heath; brother, Myron Dahle of Battle Lake, MN; sisters, Evelyn Egli of Albuquerque, NM and Gardis Dahle of Berwyn, IL.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Quinten Dahle.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, September 18th at 11:00 AM in Zion Lutheran Church, Twin Valley. Visitation will be Friday September 17th from 5PM to 7PM with a Prayer Service at 6:00PM in the Anderson Funeral Home, Twin Valley. Visitation will also be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Officiating will be Pastor Charles Bade with Myron Dahle serving as organist and Monica Winter serving as vocalist. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, David Erlien, Brian Erlien, Steve Peterson, Derek Erlien and Paul Roering. Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters, Erin Roering, Janna Erlien, Kristi Heath, Brianna Erlien and Kelsey Erlien.

Interment will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Twin Valley.