High School and LaJames College of Beauty Culture in Mason City, IA. She then purchased Gail’s Beauty Shop and was secretary at Wepler, Inc. (a market and locker plant). Luella is a 50-year member of the Order of the Eastern Star and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, Women's Fellowship and Petra Circle. When her children were all in school, she returned to the “working world" and was a sales clerk with I.TT Continental Baking Co. for 18 years. Since her retirement Luella has enjoyed traveling with her daughters. Although most of her time is spent with Kristie and Rolf, Jr. and her grandchildren in Decorah, she enjoys going to Minnesota to be with Julie in Minnetonka and Dianne, Dan and Ben in Chaska.

Rolf and Luella are the parents of Kristie Louise, Julie Ann, Rolf Sigurd, Jr., and Dianne Marie. The Dale family belongs to the Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah. The children were all born in Decorah and are graduates of Thomas Roberts High School.

Kristie completed the secretarial program at Area One (now NICC) in Calmar, IA and graduated from Luther College in 1976 with a history major. She has been employed at Luther College since graduation - most recently in the Registrar's Office. Kristie is at least the fourth generation in the Dale family to battle the disease of cancer. Her father died of complications from bladder and prostate cancer; grandfather Christian Johan Dale died from prostate cancer; and great-grandfather Lars S. Dale died from cancer but it is not known of what kind. Kristie’s battle has been with breast cancer and a brain tumor called an astrocytoma. Much of her time has been spent with this battle with cancer but she does enjoy church activities and visiting with family and friends.

Julie graduated from Luther College in 1976 with a major in the teaching of physical education. She also attended the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. Her course of study at UNI was accounting. After that she obtained her C.PA. Julie worked as an auditor for Pillsbury out of Minneapolis traveling in the United States, Canada and Germany. At the present time she is working for Twin City Fan and Blower Co. in Minneapolis. Julie spends her leisure time playing softball, skiing, golfing, playing tennis, camping and traveling.

Rolf. Jr. is employed at Olson Explosives, Inc. in Decorah. He and Cindy Goede has two sons: Russell Christian and Erik Rolf. Russell and Erik have a half-brother, William David Goede. All the boys were born in the Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse, Wl. Rolf is interested in sports and especially stock car racing. He enjoys watching professional racing. Rolf refinishes antique furniture and enjoys playing the guitar and accordion.

Dianne attended the University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA for 2 1/2 years. She also attended cosmetology school and worked at Mary’s Manor in Decorah for a year. In 1984 she moved to Minneapolis and continued her education at the University of Minnesota. Dianne is currently employed as a bookkeeper by Stirtz, Bernards, Boyden, Surdel and Lartex, PA. in Edina, MN. On 10 Jul 1993

Dianne married Daniel Glen Godfrey at the Congregational United Church of Christ in Decorah. Daniel was born in Minneapolis. Dianne and Daniel have one son, Benjamin Daniel, born in St. Louis Park, MN. They reside in Chaska, MN. In addition to spending time with her family, Dianne enjoys traveling, music, tennis and getting together with friends.

Dalen, Elmie and Family

(Beth Shaffer Detwiler)

Elmie Dalen was my grandmother. She lived all of her 89 years in Calmar. Her life spanned decades that brought Winneshiek County and our nation through two world wars and the great Depression. She met every challenge with courage and independence, typical Norwegian stoicism and stubbornness, wry humor, faith in God and fierce devotion to her family. To me she represents the best of frontier spirit and womanhood.

The John Numedahl family Back row: Adolf, Clarence, Elmer and George. Front row: Elmie, Marie and Hartvig.

Elmie was born in 1888 to Ellen Marie Samuelson Numedahl (b. 1865) and John Numedahl (b. 1856). She was the second oldest in a family of six children. The other children were boys: Hartwig (b. 1885), George, Clarence (b. 1894), Elmer (b. 1896) and Adolph (b. 1898). They lived on the Numedahl farm near Calmar. I remember the stories of Elmie's role in helping to care for all her brothers, as well as cooking for the farm workers and threshers. She left school after the 3rd grade to work on the farm.

In 1908 Elmie married a young man from the neighboring farm. Since she had been needed at home to care for all her brothers, she was considered to be almost an “old maid" when she married at age 21. Her husband was Ellend Dalen (b. 1870) who was the son of Johannes Dalen (b. 1823) and Elie Vangeness Dalen (b. 1828). Ellend was the youngest of five children: Sjur (b. 1855), Herman (b. 1856), Synneva (b. 1860), and John (b. 1861).

Elmie and Ellend had four children while they lived on the Dalen farm near Calmar. Their children were: Edwin (b. 1910), Martin (b. 1912), Ella (b. 1914), and Olga (b.