Memorial Day 2020

Lest we forget.

We are in Minnesota for Memorial Day 2020.  It has been a long time since we visited the graves of our ancestors.  We visited the four cemeteries closest to Lake Minnewaska.

First stop was Cyrus, Minnesota.  Gene's great grandparents rest there.  

Austin was  born Osten Olesen in Norseland, Minnesota Territory.  He was the son of Norwegian emigrants of 1851 from Telemark in Norway.

Anne was born Anne Tovsdatter in Norway, on the way to the ship in 1860, destination "Amerika".  Her mother Astrid Kjetilsdatter lost five children in hard times and demanded they move to "Amerika" to be near her pioneer brothers at Decorah, Iowa.

Anne and Austin Estensen

Gene's dad, grandfather, and great grandfather are in this 50th anniversary picture.

Second stop was at Hoffman, Minnesota where Gene's Johnson grandparents rest.

Art Johnson and Minne Paulson Johnsonwere both born in America and were children of emigrants from Sweden.

Pictured are Minne, Leona, Bernice (Gene's mother) and Art.

Third stop was at Hancock, Minnesota where Gene grew up.  Here rest Gene's Estensen parents and grandparents.

Pictured above are Harland Estensen (Gene's dad) and his parents Austin and Winnefred Agar Estensen.

Gene's parents are buried here too.

Harland and Bernice Estensen

Staff Sargent Estensen served overseas in WWII.  

He continued to serve, gratis, as Quartermaster of the Hancock VFW Club for perhaps 30 years.

Fourth stop was Clontarf, Minnesota where Dianne grew up on a farm nearby and attended school in Benson.  Her ancestors were emigrants from France and Germany who settled in Minnesota as farmers.

Dianne's grandparents Leon and Mary Chamberlain are shown above.  Dianne's dad Vincent is also shown here.  Leon was an Army veteran of WWI and he received the Purple Heart (see below).

Dianne lost her dad, Vincent, when Dianne was just 16 years old.

This Memorial Day it is appropriate that we remember close family members who gave their lives in war.

Two of Gene's great uncles arrived in America from Telemark in Norway just before the start of the American Civil War.  Peder Torgiersen Saheimsmogen became Peter Thompson and Kjitel Tovsen Bomogen became Charles Thompson.  They signed up for the 15th Wisconsin Regiment on the same day.  They were sent south where they died for their new country.

Michael Koskovich, Gene's cousin, was killed in action in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive of 1968.

Never forget.