Gerald "Jerry" Alborn

Gerald (Jerry) Alborn passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 23, 2020 at the age of 80 after a long journey with Parkinson's disease. He was born in Perry, Iowa and graduated from high school in Yale, Iowa. Gerald then moved to Rochester, began working in the Radiology department at Mayo Clinic in 1957, and married Marion Masek in 1961. Gerald volunteered to serve in the United States Army at Fort Polk Louisiana from 1962 to 1964, and he continued to work in X-ray in the Army. After returning to Rochester with Marion, Gerald continued his military service in the Army Reserve in Rochester, and he also returned to working at Mayo Clinic in the Radiology department as a radiologic technologist until his retirement in December 1994. After his retirement from Mayo Clinic, Gerald worked for several years at the Rochester Public Library. Gerald and Marion enjoyed traveling together with their children and later with each other. They traveled in North America, including Hawaii, and in Europe. Gerald also loved being outdoors during his leisure time, hiking in the woods in public parks and on public lands, and driving along the backroads of the Mississippi River Valley. He was especially interested in the unglaciated driftless area of southeastern Minnesota and the topography of river channels. Following the devastating flood in Rochester in July 1978, Gerald became an active member of the Rochester citizens advisory committee (headed by Harry Buck, then Quarry Hill Nature Center director) for the city's flood control project. Gerald's work on the citizens advisory committee included flood control planning details with government agencies, as well as committee efforts to persuade the Rochester community of the need for flood control improvements to the city. In the 1980s, a Rochester sales tax was approved for local funding of the project, and Congress approved federal funding for the project too. The project work was completed in the 1990s, and it still helps to protect the Rochester community from flooding today. Gerald is survived by his wife of 59 years, Marion, son Eric (Mark Johnson) Alborn of Middleton, Wisconsin, daughter Amy (Matthew) Youngstrom and grandsons Andrew and Nicholas of Edina, Minnesota, and brother Joseph Alborn of San Marcos, California. Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, Maurice and Matilda Alborn, brother James Alborn, and sister Patricia Wren. A private funeral is planned. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for any gifts to be made to Zumbro Lutheran Church in memory of Gerald. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes is honored to be serving the Alborn family. To leave a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com