Clifferd Amunson Family

AMUNSON, BARGENQUAST

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/22/2015 at 10:55:26

Monona County History
1982

Clifferd Amunson Family, p 88

On July 8, 1916 a baby boy was born to Olof and Honora Amunson. He was named Clifferd Winston, and was welcomed by three brothers, Merrill, Lowell, and Kermit, and two sisters, Verona and Evelyn. He grew up on a farm east of Soldier, where his grandparents had lived before his dad purchased it. Clifferd attended rural school and graduated from Soldier high school in 1934. He was a baptized and confirmed member of the Soldier Lutheran Church.

After graduation from high school he helped his dad at home for two years. He then worked for a neighbor, earning $26.00 a month, plus room and board. A few years later he began working in Northern Iowa in the harvest fields. The rest of the year he worked as a hired man for various farmers.

While working in Shelby County, he met and married LeOra Bargenquast of Manilla, Iowa, who was a rural teacher at the time. The date of their marriage was November 8, 1941. Their first child, Keith Leo, was born August 11, 1944. Jean Louree was born June 6, 1946. In the spring of 1948 they moved to the home place east of Soldier. On March 31, 1948, Garland Stanley joined their family. On August 21, 1950, Gary Ray was born. In 1960 Clifferd bought the home place from his parents for $120.00 an acre. In 1981 he received the Century Farm Award. All of the children graduated from high school, Keith from Soldier and the others from East Monona.

Keith, Garland and Gary attended Iowa State University. Keith graduated with an Agricultural Engineering Degree and Garland, as a Landscape Architect. Jean attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls for one year, taking a business course. She worked as a secretary in Sioux Falls, where she met and married Gary Moser of Inwood, Iowa.They now live on a farm near Winner, South Dakota. They have a little girl named Jill Louise, who was born October 3, 1981. Gary is an Industrial Arts teacher in Winner and Jean is a secretary for Grossenburgs Implements.

After graduating from I.S.U., Keith attended Trinity Divinity School in Deerfield Illinois, where he received a Master of Divinity Degree in World Missions. He married Joan Bergeon in Defiance, Ohio, October 30, 1977. After he was ordained and they were commissioned as missionaries, they left for the Philippines in February, 1977. They returned to the States in May, 1981, having completed their first four year term.

Garland worked for the City of Fort Dodge for four years before moving to LaCrosse, Wisconsin; where he is at present the City Park Superintendent. He married Nancy Schermerhorn December 17, 1977. Nancy teaches Spanish in a LaCrosse school.

Gary and his wife, Linda, live on the farm, which was originally owned by Gary’s great grandparents. Linda is a former Home Economics teacher. Linda Petersen and Gary were married June 11, 1971.

Clifferd and LeOra purchased a new home in Moville, Iowa and now live there. Submitted by LeOra Amunson.