Gladys was born at Chester, IA and married Hjalmer Kolseth (27 Nov 1894-9 Dec 1957) 21 Jun 1921 at the residence of John Moen. They had 2 children: Gordon Adrian and Roger Dean. Elmer married Marie Stillmansk and they had 4 children: Gerald; Donald (6 Mar 1937-10 Feb 1995); Josie Marie; and Anna May. Lillian Stella was born at Leland, IA (Marriage Cert. Info) and married Earle Maples 4 Jul 1933 at Washington Prairie Church. They had no children. Geneva "Jean” married Russell Colburn 20 Aug 1927. They had one son Russell Jr.. Willie married Ruth Johnson 7 Feb 1937 in Glenwood Twp. and they had 3 children: Janet Arlene; and twins Karen Frances and Sharen Marie. Leo was born in Military Twp. and married Thelma Lovstuen 27 Dec 1938 in the Glenwood Church parsonage.Their children are: LaVonne Evelyn; Duane Leo; and Lyle John. Angie married Roger Bacon 23 Mar 1939 at Koren’s parsonage near Washington Prairie Church. Their children are: Barbara Jean; Sandra Kay; and Marjorie Beth. Marcella “Marcie" married Edward Jim” Opfer 31 Aug 1939 at Washington Prairie Church. Their children are: Sheryl Ann; Robert Wayne; Linda Kay; and Brenda Sue. Walter Kenneth “Bob” was born in Frankville Twp. and married Rosaline “Nina” Medieros 27 Aug 1943 overseas while both were in the service. They have a daughter Carol Ann.

John and Anna farmed.

Moen, Kenneth and Virginia (Barth)

(Kenneth Moen)

Kenneth and Virginia Moen

Kenneth Arnold Moen was born in St. Paul, MN to August and Marie (Bakke) Moen. He has one sister Elsie and two brothers, John and James. August and Marie moved back to Decorah when Kenneth was about 1 1/2 years old.

Kenneth graduated from Decorah High School in 1942 and attended Luther College before entering the Marine Corps 18 May 1943. He went to Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, CA; then to Radar Technician School in Camp LeJeune, NC and finally to Johnston Island in the South Pacific Jan 1944. He spent 27 months on Johnston Island as a radar technician. He was discharged 22 Feb 1946 and returned to Decorah. Kenneth worked at Midland Radio Factory as an inspector of the radios when they came off the assembly line.

Kenneth married Virginia Dorothy Barth 11 Aug 1946 at St. John's Lutheran Church at Locust, IA. Virginia is the daughter of Frankie and Bessie (Bender) Barth. (See Frankie and Bessie Barth's history.) Virginia graduated from Decorah High School in 1944 and attended Luther College for one summer session before entering nurse’s training at Rochester, MN. She worked as a nurse’s aid at the Decorah Hospital and was working on the assembly line at Midland Radio Factory when she and Kenneth were married. Midland Radio Factory closed down during the winter of 1946. Kenneth and Virginia started farming with Virginia’s brother Dale in Feb 1947 on her father’s farm in Hesper Twp. In Mar 1948 they began farming on a neighboring farm. Their first child Janmarie. On 1 Mar 1950 they purchased a farm southeast of Locust in Pleasant Twp. There the remaining children were born: Larry; Renee; and Richard. From 1954 to 1965 they raised 20,000 turkeys per year, milked cows and farmed 240 acres. There were two very bad years in the turkey business so Ken and Virginia sold out, moved to Decorah and went to work.

Virginia worked first at the Aase Haugen Home and later as a secretary and bookkeeper. Ken worked for a feed company and later for cooperatives. In Nov 1969 they moved to Dunkerton where Ken worked for the Dunkerton Cooperative and Virginia worked for Standard Screen Print in Cedar Falls. Ken became the manager of Dunkerton Cooperative Jan 1971 and held that position until Jul 1979 when the family moved to Osceola, IA where he managed the Osceola Cooperative. In Feb 1980 they moved to Clinton, Wl where Ken managed the Clinton Cooperative. The Clinton Cooperative merged with Badgerland Cooperative of Whitewater, Wl in Mar 1982. In Sep 1982 the family moved to Hawkeye, IA where Ken took over the management of the Hawkeye Cooperative. In Feb 1984 they moved back to Clinton to take over the management of Badgerland Cooperative. Ken retired 1 Apr 1989 and they moved back to Decorah Apr 1990. Ken enjoyed all aspects of managing a farm supply cooperative but grain merchandising was probably his favorite.

Virginia’s mother needed help and this was considered when they decided to move back to Decorah when Ken retired. Ken became a member of the Luren Singers in 1959 and had always enjoyed being part of the Luren, both for the singing and the promoting of Norwegian heritage. All this had a bearing on their decision to move to Decorah. Since their return they have joined First Lutheran Church, Luren Singers and Auxiliary, and Silvercrest Golf and Country Club. Ken also belongs to VFW and Sons of Norway. Virginia’s mother died 8 Jun 1993, about ten days before they were to leave on their second concert trip to