Alfhild Christina Walden, 87, of Duncans Mills, died on Dec. 12
at home. She was born and raised in Minnesota where her family
farmed raisin grapes and chickens. She moved so San Francisco in
’32 where she worked as a secretary. She married forester Arnold
“Swede” Wallen in ’38. In 1970 the couple moved to the old Morril
ranch in Duncans Mills. She enjoyed bonsai and Scrabble and was a
member of the Redwood branch of the California Writers Club, the
Eden Writers Club in Hayward and the Saturday Afternoon Club in
Santa Rosa. She and her daughter founded the Christopher Queen
Falleries. Her poetry, fiction, political commentaries and
historical accounts were published in the New Yorker and Harper’s.
She was preceded in death by her husband. She is survived by her
daughters, Nancy Ferreira and Lisa Switzer of Spokane, her sister,
Hildur Bergthold of Reedley, her brothers Gustav Ahlstrom of
Clarksburg and Kurt Alhstrom of Yucaipa, three grandchildren and a
great-grandson.