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The funeral service for Kenneth Clauson, 66, Kathryn, ND will be 11:00 AM, Monday, August 19, 2013 at Waldheim Lutheran Church, Kathryn. Rev. Bradley Edin will officiate and burial will be in the Waldheim Cemetery. He died at his home on August 15, 2013 while surrounded by his family and under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Visitation will be from 3:00 PM until 5:00 PM on Sunday at the Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City, ND and will continue an hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.
Kenneth Elmer Clauson was born September 27, 1946 to Elmer and Myrtis (Mikkelson) Clauson. He was baptized and confirmed at Waldheim Lutheran Church of rural Kathryn, ND. He attended a one-room school, the Lindvold School, the first 5 grades and graduated in 1964 from Kathryn High School. Ken joined the Air Force in October 1964. He was stationed in Texas and Mississippi and then sent to Pakistan in 1966, Okinawa in 1967, and Viet Nam in 1968. While in Viet Nam, he was an intercept radio operator on a C-47 and flew 169 missions. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Force Commendation Medals. In 1966, he spent his leave touring Europe and especially visiting relatives in Sweden. It had been 60 years since his grandparents, Charley and Emily Clauson, had left their home land and come to the United States. Ken was the first relative from America to visit there.
On May 17, 1969, Ken married Sharon Hermanson from Litchville, ND. They made their home in Fargo, ND for the next several years. While there they were blessed with their children, Carla, Matthew and Kevin. Ken worked for Dakota Brick for two years before he started working for Eicholtz Masonry and formed lasting friendships with his co-workers. Also in 1969, he bought his first quarter of land and started farming. They bought a farm and moved to the Kathryn area in 1981. It was at this time that Ken decided he had to have a few cows. He dearly loved his animals and it was a sad day when he got sick and had to sell most of the herd.
Ken was proud to be Commander of the Nome Legion Post 83 for several years. He was also proud of the many men who marched with him every Memorial Day. He was a member of the VFW Post 2764 of Valley City, ND, the Kathryn Farmers Mutual Elevator where he served as president, vice president, and secretary, Barnes County Farmers Union where he served as president for 5 years, Plains Grain and Agronomy, and Waldheim Church where he served as president, vice president, trustee and sexton of the cemetery.
Ken was a loving, caring husband, father, grandfather and son. He was proud of his family and loved it when all could be together. He was proud of Carla and Darin and the life they had made for themselves and the kids. He was proud that Matt and Kim are the 4th and Weston the 5th generation Clauson farmers to live on his Grandpa Charley’s farm. And he was proud that Kevin decided to follow in his footsteps and join the military. Austin, Anna and Weston were the light of his life. He enjoyed teaching Austin and Anna about farming and how to drive. He loved it when Weston called and said, “Hi Grandma, I want to talk to Grandpa,” and they would talk about John Deere machinery. Ken enjoyed a good game of pinochle with very special friends, whist tournaments at Hermanson gatherings, and shaking dice and playing cards with his mother and Aunt Deloris. Visiting about farming or church related business with Pastor Brad and going for coffee with Warren were great days.
Ken and Sharon took many trips in the last few years and enjoyed all the visits with family and friends. The “bucket list” trips to the Englestad Arena, Grand Marais, and the Alaskan Cruise were more than we imagined.
Throughout Ken’s battle with multiple myeloma his faith has been strong. He never lost his sense of humor or wit. He had wonderful care from the staff at Essentia Cancer Center and Essentia Hospital. Once he got home, the Hospice of the Red River Valley staff were a great comfort to us all, as well as the help and support from family, friends, and neighbors and especially Sheryl Hanson and Wayne and Isabell Elwell. Ken always said right here in this small community was the best place to live. He will be missed, but his memory will live on in all of us.
Ken is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter, Carla (Darin) Jensen of Prior Lake, MN; sons, Matthew (Kim) of Kathryn and Kevin of El Paso, TX; grandchildren, Austin, Anna, and Weston; his mother, Myrtis Clauson of Kathryn; sisters, Janette (Harlan) Hanson and Joyce (Mark) Ertelt both of Kathryn; brother-in-law, James Cunningham of Thompson, ND; aunts, Deloris Ross of Kathryn, Rita Mikkelson of Mandan, ND and Jean Lenox of Seattle, WA; many nieces and nephews; a special great niece, Oaklyn Rae; several cousins; his mother-in-law, Christine Hermanson of Valley City; and his Godchildren, Ryan Hanson, Lisa Lautt, Tammi Fauld, and Kirsten Just.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Charley and Emily Clauson and Severin and Turina Mikkelson; father, Elmer; sister, Marjean Cunningham, brothers, Myron and Donald; and his father-in-law, Arthur Hermanson.
In lieu of flowers, family suggests memorials be given to the Waldheim Building Fund or Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel, Valley City, ND. An online guestbook is available at olivernathanchapel.com.