Clarence Iversen

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Clarence Iversen, 90, of Gettysburg passed away, Saturday, October 20, 2012 at St. John’s in Kearney, NE.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Gettysburg with Pastor Daniel Tews officiating. Burial was held at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis.  Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 23, 2012 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

Clarence Iversen was born on June 29, 1922 to Marinus & Helga (Pedersen) Iversen in their home near Gorman, SD. He attended a one room schoolhouse and graduated from Gettysburg High School.

Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor Clarence entered the U.S. Army in March of 1942.  He was stationed in Ft. Knox, Kentucky where he was assigned to train recruits how to drive tanks, jeeps, trucks and half tracks. While in Kentucky it was discovered that he had an incredible talent as a baseball pitcher. He played in a league called the Boat Club. In 1944 he was shipped to Schofield Barracks in Oahu, Hawaii where his job was to play baseball all over the islands for troop morale until the war was over. He was discharged in 1946.

He returned to South Dakota to raise cattle and horses. On February 26, 1948 he married Avis Stockstad. They remained married for the next 64 years.

Clarence went to auctioneer school in 1976 and started an auction and real estate business. He was an auctioneer for the next 21 years. He was a member of the American Legion and the Legion Color Guard. He was on the board of directors for the ASC Office and South Dakota Stockgrowers. Clarence belonged to Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Gettysburg where he was involved with the choir and working with the youth. When he was not busy he enjoyed organizing the Legion fishing tournament, gardening, cooking, helping out with 4-H, and working with his horses. He was a hardworking man with a lot of faith and a positive attitude.

Clarence’s life will be cherished by his wife Avis of Gettysburg; his children: Peggy (Dave) Frost of Kearney, NE, Patty (Charles) Pathmann of Winona, MN, Lori Smith of Las Vegas, NV, Robert Iversen of Ft. Pierre and James Iversen of Gettysburg; his grandchildren: Angie (Jeff) Nachtigal, Heidi (Tommy) Mausbach, Trevor Pathmann, Heather (Nick) Sutko, Jodi Pathmann, Ashley Smith, Courtney (Rick) White, Amanda (Alex) Iversen, Michaela Frost, Austin Iversen and Dalton Iversen; great grandchildren: Ali, Kate, and Abby Nachtigal, Lilly, Lucy and Ruby Mausbach, Grant and Hadley Sutko, and Christian and Braxton White; and one sister: Agnes Hagny of Gettysburg. 

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Olga, Alfred, Anna Marie, Oscar, Harley, Arnold, Elmer Iversen and Anna Baldwin.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Clarence’s arrangements.