EDITOR’S NOTE
A.L. is proud of its hometown sweetheart
Editor Sarah Stultz lives in Albert Lea with her husband, Jason, and son, Landon. She loves interior decorating and gardening.
Anyone who has had a chance to meet Albert Lea native and Hollywood actress Marion Ross can agree: She’s one special lady. Ross, best known for her role as Marion “Mrs. C” Cunningham on the television sitcom “Happy Days,” in recent years has performed on shows such as “Gilmore Girls,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “The Drew Carey Show” and “That ’70s Show.” Imagine my delight when I found out Ross was returning to her hometown for a few days in September to meet with residents and take part in a book signing and other events. I have had the opportunity to meet Ross a handful of times since I moved to Albert Lea 12 years ago and have quickly seen why Albert Leans get so excited when she returns home. Despite her success over the years — including Primetime Emmy Award nominations and a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress — Ross hasn’t forgotten her roots and the values of hard work and determination she learned while living here. She’s down to earth and humble, and, simply put, I think it’s impossible not to be inspired by her story. During her visit to Albert Lea, she agreed to sit down with Albert Lea Magazine writer Sarah Kocher and talk about the highlights of her life, her memories of Albert Lea and how this community helped shape her life. I only sat in for a portion of the interview, but I enjoyed the few minutes I witnessed. Ross has a way of making people feel comfortable around her and has a great sense of humor. We hope her story gives readers a closer view of her personality, her life experiences and her career — along with a glimpse of the impact she has had on this community. Being that the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are fast approaching, this issue also features some fun holiday features, including a story about table decorating, directions on how to make a spruce tips pot and a showcase of where to find some fun stocking stuffers in town. In addition, we feature several authors with local ties who have published a variety of books. We encourage you to check them out. Lastly, we featured newly married couple Trevor and Kristen Rasmussen, who is a designer at Broadway Home Design and who recently redesigned their kitchen. This was fun to check out and shows Rasmussen’s talent. Though winter weather is surely on its way, don’t forget that Albert Lea can be a fun place to be in the winter, too! Celebrate the season with family and friends and enjoy the remaining months of 2018. — Sarah Stultz
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PUBLISHER Crystal Miller EDITORIAL Editor Sarah Stultz Contributing Writers Linda Evenson Colleen Harrison Sarah Kocher Michelle Nelson Emily Schmidt Sarah Stultz Mollee Tscholl Contributing Photographers Colleen Harrison ART Art Director Kathy Johnson Graphic Designers Susan Downey Kim Ehrich Colby Hansen SALES & PROMOTION Sales Representatives Renee Citsay Jessica Glassell Daniel Gullickson Lucas Lee NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 Volume 6, Number 6 EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: Editor, Albert Lea Magazine, 808 W. Front St. Albert Lea, MN 56007 ONLINE: albertleamagazine.com or facebook.com/ albertleamagazine © 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without written permission. For comments, suggestions or story ideas call 507-379-3433. To purchase advertising, call 507-379-3427. To subscribe, call 507-379-3422.