Mae Brown); and Joyce Lorene (m. James Leo Whalen).

Ralph farmed near Clarkfield, MN until May 1952 when the family moved to Riverside, CA. Ralph worked at a machine shop until Sep 1952 when he hired on at Rohr Aircraft where he worked until he retired in 1979. Dorothy worked for F. W. Woolworth Co. from 1959 until retirement in 1985. Ralph and Dorothy have one daughter Barbara Ann who was born 11 Nov 1946 at Clarkfield. She attended schools in Riverside, CA. After graduation from high school she worked for the telephone company in Riverside from 1964 to 1970. On 31 Dec 1965 Barbara married Randolph Loving Faver in Riverside. They divorced in 1969. They had no children. On 10 Jan 1970 Barbara married Ronnie Clyne Barnett at Las Vegas, NV. Ronnie was born at Huntington Beach, CA to Clyne Horton and Harriete Ellen (Miller) Barnett. Ronnie and Barbara have 3 children: James, Jeffery and Tamara.

James Brian Barnett was born at Barstow, CA. He joined the Navy Nuclear Program in 1989 and trained at Orlando, FL and Idaho Falls, ID. He received a medical retirement in 1993 and attended college at Pocatello, ID. James married Shannon Marie Scott 24 Apr 1991 and they have one son Ronnie James born at Pocatello.

Jeffery Clyne Barnett was born at Barstow. He joined the Navy in 1990 and served aboard theL/.S.S. Jason in the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm. He was discharged Dec 1993 and is employed at Fort Irwin in Barstow. On 10 Dec 1994 he married Annette Michelle Gherman (formerly married to Doug Nelson).

Tamara Lynn was born at Barstow. She attended Barstow Junior College and Career Technology Institute in Las Vegas, NV. She is employed at a medical clinic in Las Vegas.

Nerlie, Gunder and Laura (Fosaaen)

(Janice Siefken)

Gunder Nerlie was born in 1887 in a log cabin in the woods near the Springfield Lutheran Church. He was the son of Engel and Marit (Sylveth) Nerlie. His father was born in 1859 in Trondheim, Norway and died in 1943 in Iowa. Marit was born in 1856 in Trondheim, Norway. As a young girl she was a herd-girl, taking a big herd of cattle up to the top of the mountains, or saeter, staying alone all summer and milking the cows and making cheese. Marit died in 1932 in IA. Gunder’s brothers and sisters were Ida, Henry, Mabel, Olga, Bessie, Marie and Iver.

Gunder married Laura Fosaaen in 1914 at the S. H. Lee home in Springfield Twp. Laura was born in 1892 near the Turkey River south of Ossian. She was baptized by Rev. Paul Koren. Her parents were Ole and Ingeborg (Kloster) Fosaaen. They were both born at West Union. Her brothers and sister were Oscar, Oliver, Emma and Albert. Ingeborg died when Laura was about 5 years old and since Ole was unable to care for his young children Laura was raised in the foster home of Mary and Stinner Lee and their children: Miller, Melvin and Eleanor. Laura received her early education in a rural school near her home and continued her education through her life-long love of reading. Laura and Gunder farmed throughout their married life and Gunder was also a teamster. They had 6 daughters, Arlene, Ethel, Olga, Lorraine, Sylvia and Barbara. While Gunder farmed Laura contributed to the family’s livelihood by maintaining a large garden and canning vegetables and fruits, many quarts at a time in a big wash boiler on the wood stove. Even during the Depression the family never lacked food. In 1938 Gunder died leaving Laura to finish raising their family. Barbara, the youngest, was only 4 at the time. The family moved from the farm to Ossian where Laura became a telephone operator. Later Laura moved to Decorah and was employed there. In retirement she enjoyed staying with her now-married daughters and their families, maintaining an apartment in Decorah, and especially living at her summer home in the country north of Ossian. Here she continued gardening, raising strawberries and raspberries in addition to vegetables and many flowers. Her green thumb, helped along by countless buckets of compost brought from an abandoned barn, contributed to huge and bountiful plants. In the winter Laura enjoyed making afghans, toys and other gifts for her family. She especially enjoyed crocheting. Laura passed away 22 Mar 1988.

Arlene was born in 1915 in Calmar. She moved as a young adult to Minneapolis and married Chuck Jenks. They had one daughter Beth. Chuck passed away in 1968. Arlene continues to live in Minneapolis. Ethel was born in 1918 at the Stinner Lee farm near the Springfield Lutheran Church. Before her marriage she was employed at the Heimark Jewelry Store in Ossian. She was an active member of her church choir. Dancing was a favorite pastime. In 1943 she married George Peck. They still live on a farm near Ossian. (See Diedrich Peck article for a detailed story.) Olga  (b. 14 Mar 1920) married Clarence Hogenson on her 19th birthday. They had 3 children, 2 of whom died in infancy. Their son Don lives in Bettendorf. Don and his wife have 4 sons: Jeff, Wayne, Scott and Eric. Don is an independent insurance agent and Joanne is a hairdresser. Clarence worked for the county. He passed away in 1949. Olga moved to Decorah and was employed at Graham's Department Store and later managed the Gold Bond Store. She also worked at the Winneshiek County Care Facility. Olga passed away in 1994. Lorraine moved to Minneapolis as a young adult. There she met and married Bob Lange. They lived in Minneapolis and Florida and built a retirement home in Flowery Branch, GA where they now live. They have 3 children: Steve, Sue and Debbie. Sylvia worked in the office of the Winneshiek Co. Superintendent of Schools prior to her marriage. In 1954 she married Danny Lien. “Syl” has worked for many years in the office of the county health nurse. Danny has been employed by the Fred Carlson Co. as office manager and accountant. Their son David is an engineer with General Motors. He and his wife, the former Lisa Cote, have 3 children: Ben, Sam and Molly. Barbara  married Jerry Reichow of Decorah. She