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Raymond Arthur Jorgenson

1895 - 1953

 

 

Raymond A. Jorgenson

Raymond Arthur Jorgenson, publisher of the Klemme Times for thirty-five years, died at his residence in Garner, early Friday morning, February 20, 1953.

He was born March 24, 1895, at Garner, Iowa, a son of Jens and Maria Rasmussen Jorgenson.

His childhood years were spent in Garner, and he graduated from the Garner High School with the class of 1915.

He began his newspaper career with the old Hancock County Democrat at Garner, and in 1917 became the Editor and Publisher of The Klemme Times.

At first, he continued to live at home, and would ride to Klemme each morning on his motor bike.

In 1919, Raymond A. Jorgenson and Mary Jane Davis, of Lincoln, Nebraska, were married. They moved into the living apartment over the basement print shop, and continued to live there for all of their stay in Klemme. Here, also, their son, Ray, Jr., was born and grew to manhood.

There was a certain thrift about Mr. Jorgenson. He was always making little improvements about the home, and was always adding new and better equipment to his print shop. His shop today is one of the best in North Iowa.

In the fall of 1952, Mr. Jorgenson leased The Klemme Times to Lyndon Kilgore, moved to Garner, and took over the active management of the North Iowa Printing Company, which he owned.

Raymond A. Jorgenson was a member of the Methodist Church, belonged to the Masonic and Eastern Star Lodges, was scout master for twelve years, and was a past president of the Hawkeye Press Club.

He was a good man in his town, a good man in the print shop, and a good man in the home. We will all miss him.

The story of his last illness is briefly told: He had the flu in September, which hung on and affected his heart. He spent five weeks in a hospital, came home and rested three months, and was pronounced well by his physicians. Then, suddenly, his heart failed.

He reached the age of 57 years, 10 months, and 20 days, and leaves of his immediate family, his wife, Mary Jane Jorgenson; his son, Raymond, Jr., Captain in the U. S. Airforce, Dayton, Ohio; his daughter-in-law, Juanita Vaughter Jorgenson, formerly of Amherst, Texas; three grandchildren, Judy, age 9, Ray III, age 5, Steve, age 1; and one brother, John Jorgenson, of Rapid City, South Dakota.

page 1, column 5: Funeral services were held Monday afternoon, February 23, from the Methodist Church in Klemme, with the Rev. E. Morris Egeland in charge assisted by Rev. Vernon E. Jaberg.

Interment was on the family lot in Concord Cemetery at Garner, and those who carried him to his final resting place were C. G. Waterman, Fred J. Arnold, A. J. Kudje, George Lawhorn, Dorance Day, and M. L. Harson.

Honorary pall bearers were Dr. A. H. Dulmes, Bert DuSold, of Mason City, Gordon Aasgaard, of Lake Mills, C. A. Larsen, Sumner Trumbell, Paul Grange of Mason City and Art Wille.

The Masonic Lodge, of which Mr. Jorgenson was a member, had charge of the services at the grave.

The Wellemeyer Funeral Service was in charge of the funeral arrangements.

source: Times, Klemme, Iowa, 25 Feb 1953, page 5, column 1

 

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