Palmer and June are members of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Locust. In addition to being married at St. John's, June and Palmer were both confirmed there and June was baptized there. They have very special feelings about their church. After retiring Palmer spent many hours improving the church basement. He completed the basement and is now working on improving the grounds and grave markers at the Locust Cemetery including the new acreage that was acquired in 1994 from Vernon Ruffridge, Fairmont, MN.

Palmer and June now enjoy living in Decorah a block and a half from their daughter and her family. For over 20 years they have been giving widows rides to services, WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and Circle meetings at St. John’s Church. Before retiring, Palmer worked for Roverud Construction, Winneshiek Co-op Feed and Asphalt Services. June worked at a fabric store and Elaine’s Dress Shop.

For both Palmer and June retirement is just a word. They keep busy doing volunteer work, odd jobs and especially with the Locust Cemetery. Both Palmer and June's parents are buried in this cemetery west of Locust. Palmer is known for his jolly disposition and hearty laugh - traits his daughter, Wanda, inherited.

June recalls going to Matter’s ballroom with her parents when she was a young girl. Her mother would make sandwiches or something for lunch and if the kids got tired, they would go to sleep on the orchestra platform.

When she started Decorah High School in 1936, June stayed with her grandparents, George and Helen Barth, in Decorah. (There were no school buses at the time.) One time June was not able to go home for over a month because of severe snow storms and drifting.

At that time Palmer was a substitute mail carrier. He used a team and sled and it was necessary to go over the fence tops to reach his destination. Palmer also remembers the Armistice Day Storm of 11 Nov 1940. When he started his cream route in the morning the weather was good. Before the end of the day he had experienced rain, mud, frozen ground and drifting snow. He did not get home until 11:00 that night.

There also was a big snow storm in late May of 1946. The apple trees were in blossom at the time. Many tree branches broke under the heavy snow. Despite the damage to the trees, it was a beautiful, wet snow. Palmer and Lester Young started a snow ball at the Locust store. They rolled it up to the church parsonage (3 houses from the store) and back to the store. When they got back to the store, the snow ball was as tall as they were!

Anderson, Theodore and Clara (Helgeson)

(Beatrice Halse)

Theodore Anderson was born in Winneshiek Co. 28 Feb 1882. His parents were Trond and Guri Skogstad Anderson. (See the Trond and Guri (Oleson) Skogstad Anderson story.)

Theodore married Clara Helgeson in Decorah 22 Mar 1911. Clara Helgeson, born 12 Feb 1886, the daughter of Hans and Karen Helgeson who were born and married in Krogero, Norway. The Helgesons came to Iowa and settled on a farm in Pleasant Twp. near Decorah. They had three sons: Lewis, Edward and one son who died in infancy. They had seven daughters: Andrea, Emma, Mary, Caroline, Martha, Hilda and Clara. Karen Helgeson died in 1917 and Hans in 1923. They are buried in the Decorah Lutheran Cemetery.

Clara and Theodore Anderson had six children: Gerhard, Beatrice, twins Joseph and June. Ceceil and Norma, all born in Winneshiek Co. Gerhard was born 13 Jan 1912. During World War II he served in the Army and was stationed at Tinian Island. It was from this island that the bomber left with the first atomic bomb dropped on Japan. Later Gerhard was stationed in Japan, where he served as a supply clerk in the Medical Corp. Gerhard never married. He lived in Decorah and was in the carpentry business. Later he worked for the Winneshiek Co. Highway Commission. He helped with the construction of the Senior Citizen Center in Decorah. He died 2 Apr 1990.

Beatrice was born 21 Nov 1913. She was a teacher in Winneshiek Co. rural schools. She married Wallace Halse, son of William and Martha Halse. They made their home their home in East Moline, IL. Wallace died Jan 1985. They have two sons, William (wife Gloria) and Clair (wife Peggy).

Joseph was born 28 Jun 1916. He married Irene Steele. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Steele.