Dennis Funeral Homes

Manley Donald Benhart Youngberg, age 93 of Waseca, MN died on September 7, 2010 at the Waseca Medical Center.

Manley was born May 25, 1917 to Reuben Theofil and Elsie (Goodland) Youngberg in New Richland, MN.  His mother passed away in 1919 and he was raised by his father with help from his Aunt Reubena Youngberg and other family members. 

He was baptized into the Vista Mission Covenant Church in Otisco Township.   

While growing up on the family farm, Manley attended schools in rural New Richland and Waseca and graduated from Waseca High School in 1935.  He attended North Park College in Chicago IL and transferred to and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Electrical and Radio Engineering.

He married his beloved wife of nearly 60 years, Mildred Jacobson, in Lindsborg, KS on June 14, 1941. 

Manley served 3½ years active military duty in the US Army, US Army Air Corp and US Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant in the Navy.  As a part of his military service he studied and taught at MIT, Princeton University and at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.  After leaving active service at the conclusion of WWII he continued to serve in the US Naval Reserves for 8 more years.

He worked as a Test Engineer for Commonwealth Edison Power in Chicago IL, Design Engineer at E.F. Johnson Company in Waseca, and co-founded and was president of Audio-Visual Research, Inc. in Waseca.

Manley was also an active member of the Waseca community, including participation in Toastmasters, Meals on Wheels, Waseca Area Senior Citizen Center, the Board of the Waseca Public Schools and Treasurer for the Waseca County Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He was a longtime, active member of Grace Lutheran Church in Waseca and considered it his spiritual home and extended family.

He is survived by daughters Susan Johnson of Eugene, OR, Sally Lenn of Waseca, Jane (Kurt) Carlson of Decorah, IA, Laura Rhyner of Eugene, OR and son Donald (Clarissa Wylie) Youngberg of New Haven, CT as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

 He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, step-mother Vendela (Carlson) Youngberg and foster brother Pete Waleen. 

A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at Grace Lutheran Church in Waseca.  Visitation with family members will take place Friday evening between 4:00 and 7:00 pm at Kinder-Dennis Home for Funerals in Waseca and continue one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Lutheran Church or the American Red Cross.