Clara Ahrenstorff
Funeral services
for Clara Ahrenstorff, 99, of Lake Park will be held 10:30 AM, Tuesday,
October 25, 2005 at Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park with Rev.
Jeff Bauer officiating. Interment will be at Silver Lake Cemetery
in Lake Park.
Clara
Ahrenstorff, the daughter of John and Hannah (Christiansen) Jacobsen,
was born on April 16, 1906 in Denison, IA. Clara moved with her parents
and younger siblings when she was six years of age by train to Spirit
Lake and then to their now farm in Sioux Valley, Minnesota. The Jacobsen’s
first home was moved to and still is in Lake Park.
Clara started school at the Jacobsen Country School in Sioux Valley.
In 1919 at the age of twelve, she attended the new Sioux Valley School
through the tenth grade, at that time she was needed at home to help
care for her younger siblings. Clara was confirmed in 1922 in the
first confirmation class of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley.
She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church in Lake Park.
On Feb. 17, 1926 Clara and Gilbert Ahrenstorff were married in Spirit
Lake, and started their life together in Sioux Valley on the farm
across the road from what used to be the Sioux Valley Creamery. Lorraine,
Wayne and Glen were born on this farm.
In 1935 Clara and Gilbert purchased a farm northeast of Lake Park,
which became known as the home place for the four children, Lorraine,
Wayne, Glen and Phyllis. It was here she shared the love and pride
of raising their prized Polled Hereford Cattle.
In 1959 Clara and Gilbert moved to their newly built home in Lake
Park, but they also wanted to try out some South Dakota land too.
In 1958 they bought and moved to the Bar X Ranch at Clear Lake, SD.
That wasn’t quite enough so they purchased a farm at Gary, SD
and lived there from 1970 – 1980. Then it was back to the city
life of Lake Park.
Clara, suffering from Muscular Degeneration, decided to enter the
Lake Park Care Center in February of 2000.
On February 21, 2001 Clara and Gilbert celebrated their seventy-five
years of marriage. Gilbert passed away April 18, 2001, a month shy
of his 99th birthday.
Clara had a love of nature. She took special care of her large vegetable
garden and lots of flowers. She also had a special interest in feeding
and watching the different kinds of birds.
Of course she could also give you the scoop of the Minnesota Twins,
especially enjoyed Kirby Puckett, listening to them on the radio.
Clara’s greatest passion was music. Without lessons or reading
music, she was a wonderful piano player, accompanying her children
in their musical endeavors, solos, saxophone quartet and whistling.
She even taught herself to play the Hawaiian guitar.
Clara enjoyed the company of her grandchildren, great grandchildren
and great great grandchildren. She liked to share with them her love
of nature. Clara was a member of the Sioux Valley Cemetery Society,
Sioux Valley Garden Club, Dickinson County Extension Club, and for
many years as a 4-H leader.
Clara passed away at the Lake Park Care Center on October 21, 2005
at ninety-nine years of age.
She is survived by her daughters, Lorraine (Ralph) Perkins of Clear
Lake, SD, Phyllis (Samuel) Rodrigues of Salinas, CA; son, Wayne (Pauline)
Ahrenstorff of Seaside, CA; daughter-in-law, Norma Ahrenstorff of
Worthington, MN; sister-in-laws, Evelyn Hemmingson and Helen Bahn;
sixteen grandchildren and 6 step-grandchildren, fifty-two great-grandchildren;
twenty great-great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.
Clara was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 2001; a
son, Glen; brothers, Fred, Martin, John, Edward and Marvin; sisters,
Josie Fick, Minnie Schuett, and Hertha Hale; two grandsons and two
great-grandchildren.
Turner Funeral Home of Lake Park in charge of arrangements. 712-336-2575
