did a lot of crocheting and other hand work. She also made a large, framed, family tree picture which was decorated with flowers and fruit made of yarn. The family always got along well and spankings were rare, in spite of Grandpa being strict. Upon retirement, Joseph and Barbara moved to Spillville. There were ten children born to them: Joseph A. (b. 27 Jun 1891); Frank J. (b. 4 Jun 1893); Cecilia M. (b. 18 May 1896); Agnes (b. 5 Jan 1898); Cecilia A. (b. 4 Aug 1901); George E. and Hattie (b. 17 Sep 1904); Barbara (b. 18 Jan 1907); Viola M. (b. 5 Jul 1910) and Helen C. (b. 12 Aug 1914). Catherine Panoch, Joseph’s paternal aunt, was a mid-wife to all the children except the twins. Joseph died 24 Aug 1933 after suffering from cancer for a long time. Barbara had been in poor health for many years and passed away 20 Apr 1958 in Cedar Rapids, IA at the home of her daughter, Helen Carroll Mayrand, where she had made her home for eight months. Barbara was a member of St. Ann’s Society and the Rosary Society in St. Wenceslaus Parish in Spillville. They are both buried in the St. Wenceslaus Cemetery at Spillville.

Klinker, Ralph, Sr. and Ruth (Bradley)

(Ralph Klinker, Jr.)

Ralph and Ruth E. Bradley Klinker came to Decorah in 1937 to purchase the Ford Garage and later take on the sales and services of Mercury cars and Ford tractors and implements. They moved from Tomah, Wl. Both Ralph and Ruth were born on farms in Juneau Co, New Lisbon, Wl in 1904 and 1906. They were raised and educated there. Ralph and Ruth were married in Winona, MN in 1923. They had four children: Ralph, Jr., Audrey, Jennifer (died at birth) and Eloise Jane.

Ruth was active in Eastern Star and Ralph was active in the Masons for over 50 years. Ralph was associated with the Automobile Industry for most of his life. He was the Ford Dealer in Decorah for 27 years and was active in starting and working in Decorah Hollow Metal Co. He also was active in Real Estate and built houses. When Ralph finally retired they lived in Salado, TX, Bettendorf, IA, and in Hot Springs, AR. Ruth died in 1991 and Ralph died six months later in 1992.

Klinker, Ralph W. Jr. and Betty (Eisele)

(Ralph Klinker, Jr.)

Ralph W. Klinker, Jr. was born in New Lisbon, Wl, Juneau Co. With his parents and sister Audrey, he moved to Decorah, IA in 1937, and graduated in 1943. “R.W." as he was called, enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was commissioned flight officer as a pilot. After the war he went to Michigan State College and was graduated with a B.A. in Marketing and a minor in Mechanical Engineering.

In 1946 he married Betty Eisele of Lansing, Ml. R.W. and Betty had two children: Bradley Edward  and Karen Leigh (b. in Lansing, Ml). In 1948 they moved to Decorah from Lansing to work for R.W. Klinker Ford Garage and Klinker Ford Tractor. In 1953 they moved back to Lansing, where R.W. worked for Reo Motors, a truck manufacturer, in their leasing division and later for Ford Motor Co. and then in his own business in Grand Rapids, Ml for 25 years.

In 1983, R.W. and Eloise Erickson were married in Grand Rapids. Eloise was born in Mabel, MN. She graduated from Decorah High School in 1943 and Luther College in 1948. Eloise was a school teacher for 17 years and retired from J.C. Penney Co. Upon retirement in 1991, they moved to Hot Springs Village, AR.

Klosterboer, Edward and Florence (Walter)

(Edward and Florence Klosterboer)

Edward John Klosterboer and wife Florence Ellen Walter have lived in their present home at 203 Rural Avenue, Decorah, IA for 32 years. They were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Farmersburg, IA on 23 May 1948. At that time Ed was the Grundy County Recorder at Grundy Center, IA, where the newlyweds made their first home. Ed was Grundy County Recorder for 14 years. After moving to Decorah, Ed was Recreation Director of the Luther College Student Union for 8 years, and an agent for the State of Iowa Dept, of Revenue for 13 years. He retired in 1985.

While a student at Luther College, Ed enlisted 7 Dec 1942 in the Enlisted Reserve Corp with 35 other Luther students with provisions that they would not be called into active duty until the .end-Qf the school year. But the U.S. Military needed men. On 17 Mar 1943 the 36 from Luther joined with students from all the Iowa Conference schools and were on a train for^Camp Callon, CA for basic training. Ed was 20 years old. He was assigned to Africa, then to Italy, where he was wounded twice, moved to an Evacuation Hospital and to a large hospital ship with wounded G.I.’s and returned to the U.S. The trip across the Atlantic from Naples took 30 days. Ed was a patient at Kennedy General Hospital, Memphis, TN for over a year until his discharge from the Army in 1946.

“Flo" attended Iowa State Teacher's College, Cedar Falls, and Luther College, Decorah. She taught 5-6-7 and 8th grades at St. Olaf, IA and was the Deputy Co. Recorder of Clayton Co at Elkader, IA until their marriage. She taught piano from 1962 to 1982. Throughout the years Ed and Flo were involved in many community and church activities. They were members of St. John’s Lutheran, Farmersburg; Bethany Presbyterian, Grundy Center; Trinity Lutheran, New Hampton and since 1963, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Decorah.

Edward and Florence both grew up on Iowa farms. Ed’s parents, Onno (1898-1945) and Effie (Knock) Klosterboer (1900-1993) farmed in Grundy Co and later owned an implement business. Flo's parents, Ernest (1881-1941) and Clara (Henkes) (1888-1978) Walter farmed in Clayton Co and her father owned the first Buick and Chevrolet garage in the area. The unassembled four-cylinder Baby Grande Chevys were transported to Farmersburg by train. His garage also housed the village’s first light plant. Her mother Clara, besides the many duties of having seven children, operated a milliner shop,