cific. He was a Staff Sergeant in the Fifth Air Force Service Command in New Guinea and Biak Island, Dutch East Indies. Merlin returned to the United States Jan 1946. Merlin married Jeanette Cora Mikkelson 22 Dec 1948 at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church. Merlin and Jeanette had 3 children: Vernon Knut, Duane Alfred and Muriel Jean. Merlin died 29 Sep 1965. He is buried at the Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah.

Leland Mvron was born 22 May 1922 in Lismore. He graduated from Adrian High School in 1941. He entered the Army in the fall of 1942 and served in the European Theater of Operation. He was commissioned a First Lieutenant. Leland returned to the United States in Jun 1946. He married Edythe Mae Gjetley (of Decorah) 31 Dec 1950 at the Lutheran Church, Guttenburg, IA. Leland and Edythe had 6 children: Linnea Eileen, Lois Annette, William Carl, Steven Douglas, Brenda Raye and Denise Ellen.

Ellen Marie was born at Kenneth. She graduated from Adrian High School in 1942. Ellen worked as a secretary for a number of years. She never married.

Marcella Victoria was born in Kenneth. She started high school in Adrian, but in 1942 the Naley family moved back to Winneshiek Co. Marcella stayed with her Aunt Emma in Oak Knoll, MN and finished high school in 1944 in Hopkins, MN. Marcella married Lester E. Amundson at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church 19 Nov 1948. They had 3 children: Sandra Kaye, Loren Eugene and Marilyn Jean. Lester Amundson died 5 Feb 1983.

Jeanette Alvina was born in Adrian. She graduated from Decorah High School in 1947. Jeanette married Kenneth William Baran at a Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. They have 3 children: Diane Marie, Renee Ann and Kenneth.

Elwood Clifford was born 15 Mar 1933 in Adrian. He attended Decorah High School. Elwood served in Army during the Korean Conflict. He married Charlotte Wilhelmina Snyder of Chicago, IL on 15 Jul 1956 at the Big Canoe Lutheran Church. They had 4 children: Carl John, Cheryl Ann, David Allan and Dennis Wayne. Elwood died 29 Jul 1991.

Alfred died 10 Apr 1983; Anna died 8 Sep 1984.

(Written by Anna Naley in 1971.)

Naley, Lars and Martha (Vikre)

(Marcella Naley Amundson)

Lars Naley was born 7 May 1855 in Skudness, Norway. On 30 Oct 1879 Lars married Martha Anna Vikre. Martha was born 18 Aug 1854 also in Skudness. She was the daughter of Mons and Marie Vikre.

Lars and Martha came to America in 1883 first arriving in Calmar, IA. They stayed with relatives until they moved to a farm near Ridgeway, IA in Lincoln Twp. This farm was their home for many years.

In 1909 they moved to a house on Center Street in West Decorah. In 1919 they sold this house and moved to South Dakota to stay with their daughter and son-in-law, Tilla and Emil Jensen. In the summer of 1921 they lived with their son and daughter-in-law, Alfred and Anna Naley, at Lismore, MN. Then at Christmas time 1921 Lars and Martha moved to the home of their daughters, Marie and Laura, at Oak Knoll, MN (suburb of Minneapolis). Their daughters had bought a place with ample ground for a garden. There were many beautiful oak trees on the place. Lars and Martha enjoyed taking care of the lawn and garden. They also enjoyed the berries that grew there. This was their home for 13 years.

Lars Naley family

Left to right, row one: Lars, Emma Laura and Anna Martha. Row two: Tilla, Anna, Marie and Josephine.

Row three: Ludvig, Magnus and Alfred.

In Sep 1929 they celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary with their children and friends. In the spring of 1934 Lars took sick. He was sick for 3 weeks. Martha took care of him at home. Four days before Lars died, Martha died. She 'slept away’ during the night so no one knew until the next morning when she did not get up. Lars and Martha were both brought to Decorah for a double funeral at the First Lutheran Church. They are buried at the Lutheran Cemetery, Decorah. Three brothers and their wives plus Marie Naley are also buried on this lot.

Lars and Martha had 8 children. The first 2, Anna and Marie, were born in Skudness before the family came to America. Anna married John Hopperstad at Ridgeway. They had 6 children: Gilbert, Lester, Juliet, Margaret, John and Ernest. Marie never married. Josie married Robert Roppe. They lived in Spring Grove, MN until Robert died in 1922. Josie and the children then moved to Oak Knoll, MN. Josie and Robert had 4 children who lived to adulthood: Anna, Robert, Martha and Tilford. They also had a couple of children who died in infancy. Ludvig married Anna Bakken at Ridgeway. Anna died 4 years later in May 1916. Ludvig and Anna did not have any children. In the fall of 1916 Ludvig married Telia Decker of Missouri. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1966. Ludvig and Telia had 8 children: Anna, Lawrence, Robert, Clifford, John, Norma, Thelma and a boy who died in