worked as a Nurses’ Aide during high school and after graduation she married Ken Jirak 16 Sep 1972. Ken and Donna had two daughters, Aimee and Amanda. Donna and Ken divorced and she is now married to Dennis Mracek. They live in Protivin, IA. Donna is employed at Rockwell Collins in Decorah. Allan married Judith Svendsen 26 Feb 1972. They bought the farm that Allan’s dad grew up on located in Calmar Twp, Section 8. Allan and Judy are the parents of four children: Sara, Jacob, Erin and Lucas. Chrisanne married Steve Alber 27 Dec 1975. They have two children: Jamie and Nicholas. Lolita graduated from NIACC in Mason City, IA in 1980 as an Optometric Assistant. She married Bruce Adams 29 May 1982. They live near Waucoma, IA and are the parents of Joshua Merritt, Mason William and Sara Marie. Sandra  graduated from Hamilton Business College in Mason City in 1983. On 4 Aug 1984, Sandy married Dee Jay Oblander. They live in Spillville. They are the parents of three children: Malyssa Jo, Raymond Jasyn  and Ashley Jean.

Kuhlman, Ralph and Margaret (Hamre)

(Alice Hamre Arneson)

Margaret Beatrice (Hamre) Kuhlman was born 16 May 1912 and died 19 Jan 1986. She was the daughter of Ole L. Hamre and Christine (Anderssen) Hamre. She married Ralph Kuhlman 7 Nov 1936. He was born 22 Jan 1908 in Pulaski Co, ILand died 29 Sep 1991 in Red Bud, IL. Margaret graduated from Decorah High School in 1930. She went to Chicago to Norwegian American Hospital for nurses training, receiving her R.N. in 1933 and worked in Chicago. Ralph received his M.D. and worked at the State Hospital in St. Joseph, MO. Twins were born prematurely and died 4 Dec 1937. The fall of 1938 they were transferred to the State Hospital in Farmington, MO. In Feb 1942 Ralph resigned and became prison physician and surgeon at Menard, IL. Ralph told many stories about the prisoners, some of whom were trustees and "houseboys” helping in their home. He had a slow, drawling voice and folks were fascinated by the murderers and other criminals he knew.

In 1947 he established private practice in Red Bud, IL near St. Louis. They had three more children: Ralph Frederick Jr.  married Julia Grace Amundson 13 May 1961.  She is a Registered Nurse. Ralph Jr. received his M.D. at the University of Illinois in 1964. He is a hematologist in St. Louis. Ralph and Julia have 5 children: Kristin Noel, Jennifer Lynn, Ralph Frederick III , Emily Amundson and Mark Hamre. Richard Hamre married Mary Ellen Carolan on 1 May 1965.Richard graduated from the University of Illinois School of Pharmacy in 1963. He bought a drugstore in Riverside, IL Aug 1967. They have four children: Richard Hamre Jr, Sarah Ellen, Constance Ann, and Mary Catherine Karen Christine  Karen was Salutatorian in high school and graduated from the University of Illinois (with a grade point average of 4.97) in 1964. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. She is an assay chemist and head of her department at Sigma Chemical Co. in St. Louis. She is not married.

Margaret Hamre Kuhlman

Margaret had “brittle” diabetes which her husband Ralph tried to keep under control. They took many lovely trips, including visiting Aunt Berit Hamre Qualley Oraker in Norway. Margaret came to Decorah for class reunions, Nordic Fest, and family gatherings. Her daughter Karen is very interested in family history and comes for the Nordic Fest.

Kuhn, Albert J. and Barbara (Shindelar)

(Rita M. Schmitt)

Albert J. Kuhn was born 26 Mar 1895, the son of Anton and Anna (Ludwig) Kuhn. On 6 Oct 1919, Albert married Barbara Shindelar in Calmar, IA. Barbara was born 4 Feb 1896, the daughter of Albert and MaryJ. (Frana) Shindelar. Albert and Barbara first lived in Charles City, IA where Albert was a truck driver. About 1922 the family moved to a farm north of Calmar and started farming. They had a dairy herd, bottled the milk and delivered to many homes and business places in Calmar, sometimes with horse and buggy when the weather was too bad for their Model T. The farm was located in Calmar Twp, Section 23, Winneshiek Co.

Albert and Barbara became the parents of 7 children -4 boys and 3 girls: Valerian (b. 20 Nov 1921) attended