Mason City, IA. Rick, Gini and Ashley live in Mason City and belong to St. James Lutheran Church. Christopher married Tricia Anfinson on 18 Jul 1994 in Wanamingo, MN and lives and works in Minneapolis. Chris graduated from St. Thomas University, St. Paul in 1994. Tricia graduated from St. Cloud in 1994. Karin lives at Cannon Falls, MN and works at Midwest Imports.

Rachel graduated from Mankato State University (BS) and married Kevin Busch, they have three daughters: Emily, Amalia Claire and Sarah Lucia. Emily and Bill Schmidt have a daughter, Kirstyn Ann. They live in Zumbrota, MN. Amalia Claire and Sarah Lucia live in Mankato and belong to Bethlehem Lutheran Church where Kevin, Rachel and the girls sing and Rachel is the Youth Director.

Gordon graduated from Luther College and Luther Theological Seminary and was ordained in St. John’s Lutheran Church, Waukon, IA on 7 Oct 1945. He served parishes in Milford, Clarion and Ames. He served as Associate Youth Director in Evangelical and American Lutheran Churches (1958-1962) and Dean of Campus ministry at Luther College (1962-1982). Gordon founded the nation’s first Drive-In Worship Service in 1946 at Lake Okoboji at an open air theater. He served the Waterloo Ridge Lutheran Church, Allamakee Co. (1984-1995), living in Decorah. Gordon has a lifetime of interesting hobbies: music, fishing, fly-tying, woodworking (built their first furniture), boating, traveling, camping, agate collecting, polishing and making jewelry, antiques and golfing. Gordon traveled abroad in 1960 with Youth Work. Marie remained in their home in Minneapolis with Rick (10) and Rachel, an infant. The following trips were made with Gordon: in 1965 with 14 students at a work camp in England's midland near Leister; in 1972-73 he inaugurated a study program in Nottingham, England with 15 Luther students.

Gordon and Marie purchased the Emporium in 1975, dealing with crafts, recordings and antiques.

Before her marriage Marie graduated from St. Olaf College with majors in Biology and Sociology (1943) and attended nurse’s training. She worked at various Wartime Day Care Centers.

Gordon and Marie are interested in their family genealogy, flowers and community beautifying and conservation of land, water and environment. They visit their children and their families frequently and continue to enjoy their home in Decorah and their travels.

Gordon and Marie Smedsrud

Smedsrud, Marie Prestemon

(Marie Smedsrud)

(Helena) Marie Smedsrud was born in Jefferson Twp., Allamakee Co., Waukon, IA 23 Feb 1922. She was the daughter of Alvin Prestemon and Idelia Agatha Grangaard. Her father was born 31 Dec 1887 in Allamakee Co. and her mother was born 13 May 1887. They were married 25 Aug 1920 at Old West Paint Creek Church, Allamakee Co. Marie’s sister, Gwendolyn Mae Prestemon, was born 30 Apr 1923. Marie married Gordon Smedsrud who was born 13 Dec 1920 in Makee Twp, Allamakee Co, Waukon, IA. He was the son of Carl Gerhart Smedsrud and Ruth Pearl Huffman. Gordon’s brother was Arden and sisters were Clarice and Alyce. Marie and Gordon were married 9 Aug 1945 at Old West Paint Creek Church. They had two children, Rick and Rachel. Rick graduated from Mankato State University, Mankato, MN (B.S.) and the University of Iowa (MBA). He is presently treasurer of Henkel Construction, Mason City, IA. He is married and has three children. Rachel graduated from Mankato State University, and is in the process of applying to Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, MN for a Master of Theology degree. She is Youth Director at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She is married and had three daughters and one granddaughter.

Marie’s most recent interest is writing “Grandma’s Stories’’ for her grandchildren and researching genealogy on her father's side. Alvin was one of nine boys (2 died in infancy). A brother of his wrote: “Alvin was a man of sterling quality who earned the respect and affection of all his neighbors and of all with whom he came in contact. His accomplishment in the management of the farm earned him the distinction of being named ‘Master Farmer’ Iowa, 1944". He loved his work and community, and Future Farmers, an organization for young men. He involved himself with governmental programs in connection with agriculture. He was active in support of his church and in the promotion of vocal and instrumental music. Marie's mother helped her father by paying off the farm debt for ownership and buying a piano her first year of marriage with her savings from rural school teaching. She added culture and beauty to the home with her skills and as a church organist. Community organizations benefited from her talents and wisdom. Both parents assumed their children would be college graduates and professionally trained, which they were.

A series of mysteries surround the lives of Marie's ancestors. Why did the attic of their Prestemon family home have the Grangaard trunk, her Grandma’s Kolsrud’s trunk, several antiques of her grandmother’s, but nothing on the grandfather Prestemon’s side? Why did the stories her uncles wrote have discrepancies? The tragic realities unfold as Marie hears more oral histories and when Marie and Gordon retraced the walking trip those relatives made from the Northern Peninsula of Michigan to the Paint Creek area, Allamakee Co. The immigration to the United States for Ola Olsen Prestmo (b. 22 Sep 1822) and his wife, Anna Geving Prestmo (b. ca. 1826), was made because