Albert J. Reller

Albert “Al” John Reller, 83, of Soudan, died peacefully on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, with his loving wife MaryBeth Williams Reller at his side. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Tower. The visitation will begin one hour prior. Family Services are provided by Bauman-Vermilion, a Bauman Family Funeral Home in Tower. 
This big man came from small towns in northern Minnesota, most notably Littlefork. It was in these towns that Al learned his love of performing, whether it was at the school, with his tuba, at the library, or on the stage. This love led him to study theatre arts at Bemidji State. He became a teacher, director, and coach for thousands of students over the years. He directed six star performances in the MSHSL one-act competitions.
Al was one of those teachers in whom the outsider, the outcast, the weird student, found refuge. His size and his wit were shield and sword for those students. Yet, even those with fuller foundations found Al a refuge at any time. He could cajole the best of students into a play, a speech, a book, or borrowing something for him.
Al had vision, maybe not his peripheral, but he had vision. As a director and set designer, he could create tableaus that captured meaning. As a gardener, he could see combinations that colored the sight. As a needlepoint crafter, he developed tapestries without any patterns. As a painter and drawer, his works whirled in lines and colors. Al had vision.
Al met MaryBeth in Hibbing while they were teaching and directing plays. These two odd atoms found each other and made a fantastic compound. They supported each other. They worked the stage together. They knew each other’s faults.
Al is survived by his wife of 44 years, MaryBeth Williams; sisters, Pat Runyon of Chandler, Ariz., and Betty Ann Keys of Portland, Ore.; nephews, Bruce (Priscilla) Runyon of Chandler, Ariz., and Jeff Runyon of Queen Creek, Ariz.; and countless family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Sr. and Violet; twin sons; and in-laws, Clarence and Edith Williams.