train to New York to board a ship for Europe. The ship was sabotaged in New York harbor and did not leave the states until early 1942.

Walt spent 3 1/2 years in the European Theatre of Operation. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge, American Defense Medals, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and Bronze Star. He was home at Christmas 1944 (TD. in the States). In early 1945 he returned to Italy. Walt was commissioned on the battlefield. He was with the “Red Bull’’ Division 34th Infantry.

Eleven of his army friends attended his funeral in a group. There were four Daniels brothers in service during World War II. Walt was in the Army and Dan, Robert, and Charles served in the Navy. All were overseas and all returned safely.

Danielson, Andrew and Lesa Patrina (Hagen)

(Rev. O. Paul Hougen)

Andrew Danielson was born Throndhjem, Norway on 10 Jul 1856 to Dan and Marret Hanson. As a boy in Norway, Andrew sold bread from a cart in the streets. He was 13 years old when he came to the United States. Lesa Patrina was born in Norway on 24 Feb 1857. She came to the United States in 1876. Andrew and Lesa Patrina were married 30 Apr 1880.

Andrew had an older brother, Ole. The rest of the brothers and sisters were younger: Guri (m. Henning Rotvold a former president of a Decorah bank); Anna (m. an Anderson); Ingeborg (m. a Drievold); and Gust. Lesa’s brothers and sisters were: Chris, Peter, Anton and Carrie (m. a Boland).

Parents, Andrew and Lesa Danielson. Left to right: Peter, Marie and Dan.

Two smaller children, Lenora and Orlando.

To Andrew and Lesa Patrina were born: Dan A., Marie, Peter, Lenora and Orlando. Dan married Marie Drievold. To them were born Lester who died at the age of 14, Amanda (m. Kyrie Swenson) and Dorothy (m. Harold Sewell). Marie married Bennie Eggen. To them were born Mildred (m. John Snyder), Arthur (m. Gladys Kratz), Bunola (m. Billy Moore who was a singer, so they were married “over the air’’), Harvey (m. Vivian Kratz) and Donna (m. Stanley Fuller) had three children, one of whom was adopted by O. Paul and Helen Hougen. Peter married Nora Corson. To them were born ten children: Norine (m. Evelyn Kittleson), Loretta (m. Edward Henning), Palma (m. Woodrow Buck), Roger (m. 1-Clarissa Severson deceased, 2- Mildred [Horgen] Paulson), Harriet (m. John Toras), Roland (m. Harriet Flatland), Edith (m. Carl Griebel), Gordon (m. 1-Mary Flatland deceased, 2-Colleen [McKernan] Iverson), Geraldine (m. Ronald Cook and Olive (m. Norlan Lee). Lenora married John E. Peterson (see John and Lenora Peterson story). Orlando married Ruby Barth. To them were born Laverne (died at age 15), Lorraine (m. Art Herman) and Marlys (m. Harold Ryan).

When Lenora was 2 years old, Andrew and Lesa moved to what was later known as the Peter Danielson farm, north of Decorah. When Lenora was 5 years old (1900), they built a granary on the farm. This was an occasion for the gathering of neighbors and a dance!

When Lesa was 53 years old she died on 26 Apr 1912 of cancer. Andrew and his daughter, Lenora (then 16) moved to Decorah and lived on Goose Island on the corner of Monroe Street.

In Feb 1914, Andrew married Henrietta Holm. Henrietta was a tailor from Norway. She had seven children (the oldest was 17 and the youngest 4): Agnas, Helof (killed in World War I), Sigurd, Arthur, Henry and Edna. Born to Andrew and Henrietta was a daughter, Aleda. Andrew died 23 Jun 1915 before Aleda was born.

The same year Andrew and Henrietta were married, Andrew’s daughter, Lenora married John E. Peterson on 11 Mar 1914.

Darling, Roy and Freda (Helwig)

(Elizabeth (Downie) Dahly)

Roy Lester Darling was born Jul 1892 in Montrose, SD. Montrose is 30 miles northwest of Sioux Falls. His parents were Albert and Jenny (Antrim) Darling who were born and raised in the Burr Oak area.

Roy attended grade school in Montrose and high school in Sioux Falls. He went to the Marquette University School of Pharmacy in Milwaukee, Wl. Early in 1913 Roy had more schooling to finish, but was given the opportunity to take his final exams early. He passed with flying colors and graduated with the class of 1913. He was 21 and the youngest in his class.

With family roots in the Burr Oak and Decorah areas, after graduating from Marquette University Roy took the position of chief chemist with the Meritol Drug Company (formerly the American Press and Drug Association) in Decorah.

In 1916 Roy married Freda Helwig, the daughter of Frank Helwig, Decorah's cigar maker and a talented musician. Roy and Freda had a daughter, Patricia. She married Vernon Viebrock. They lived in Clearwater, FL.

Roy longed to own and operate his own drug store. In 1920 he purchased the drug store of R.A. Engbertson in the Higgins Building. One of the features of the Darling Drug Store was a beautiful fountain from which was dispensed delicious ice cream sodas, sundaes and cokes.