Clarion Engstrom

Clarion Engstrom, 94, of Miller, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, May 24, 2010 at the Miller Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 29, 2010 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller with Pastor Bob Ohnstad officiating.  Burial followed at Benton Lutheran Cemetery, rural Crooks, SD.  Visitation was held at 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 28, 2010 followed by a 7:00 p.m. prayer service at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.

Clarion Anna Netina (Pearson) Engstrom was born on August 17, 1915 in Crooks, SD, the first of four children of Effie and Carl Pearson.  Baptized and confirmed at Benton Lutheran Church in Crooks, she was raised on the nearby family farm and attended high school in Hartford where she walked miles to school with her sister Aldo.  During the Great Depression, she lived temporarily on the Pearson homestead with her widowed grandmother, Anna Louisa Pearson to help with chores, suspending her high school education for a year.  With an early desire to serve others she chose to become a nurse and pursued this joy at Sioux Valley Hospital’s School of Nursing in Sioux Falls receiving her Nursing Diploma in 1939.  Early nursing jobs took her to Cook County Hospital in Chicago and Bethpage Mission in Nebraska that served children and adults with developmental disabilities.   While in Crooks she met an interning Lutheran pastor, Kenneth Engstrom.  They were wed at Benton Lutheran Church on March 10, 1942.  The following Sunday in her new role as a pastor’s wife she was welcomed into her husband’s parish in Gwinner, ND.  In the following years he answered calls to parishes in Minnesota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and northern Michigan.   After a ten- year leave from nursing to raise their children, Barbara, Kendall, and Elaine, Clarion returned to her love of nursing and worked at hospitals in Wyoming and Michigan’s upper-peninsula, traveling 45 miles in her VW bug on dark, snowy roads.  Later she became the first school nurse for the local school district.

Nearing their retirement, Kenneth and Clarion chose to live out their golden years in South Dakota but did not know where to create their next home.  A road trip to explore the state included a stop in Miller.  It met their criteria: a Lutheran church, hospital, nursing home, library, and familiar small town size.  Remarkably, without knowing anyone, they moved to Miller in 1974.  Here they bought their first home, put down roots, and enjoyed the warmth and congeniality of the community of which they spoke so fondly.  Many opportunities presented them:  pulpit supply for Kenneth, and for Clarion, at Trinity Lutheran Church fostering concern for world hunger relief, membership in Hope Circle, stitching quilts for Lutheran World Relief, conference advising for the American Lutheran Church Women, fostering support for the American Bible Society, working and leading Bible Studies at the nursing home, and not to be forgotten, stopping at rummage sales.  Mom’s whereabouts could be easily identified by the little red Ford Festiva she drove until age 92.  Clarion loved antique dishes, gardening, and historical interests.

Nurtured by her heavenly Father, people, especially the poor, hungry and sick, were  important to her.  Her compassionate bedside manner and dedication to care for body and soul were reflected in her deep, abiding faith in Jesus Christ to whom she was steadfastly devoted. Clarion was special.  Her energy, humor and spirit will be missed.

Clarion was a beloved mom, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend.  She is survived by daughters Barbara Offner of Kirkland, WA and Elaine Engstrom of Vancouver, BC.; grandchildren Kelsey (Leo) Cochrane of Norwalk, CT, Heidi Offner of San Diego, CA, and Eric Offner of Kirkland, WA; great grandchildren Ryan and Quinn Cochrane, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth in 1984, her son, Kendall in 2002, and her three younger siblings.  After the loss of her son she moved from her home of 30 years to Courtyard Villa Assisted Living in Miller until March 2010 when failing health made it necessary for her to move to the Good Samaritan Nursing Home.

Memorials may be directed for the ELCA World Hunger or the Global Health Ministry, 7831 Hickory St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55432-2500.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Clarion's arrangements.

MINISTER
Pastor Bob Ohnstad

CASKETBEARERS
Scott Pearson
Gary Pearson
Armen Janjigian
Bryan Limmer
Warren Limmer
Dale Benson

HONORARY CASKETBEARERS
Norbert Limmer
Alvin Johnson
Kevin Burggraff
Bernard Burggraff
Ralph & Barb Ziegler
JoDean Joy
Kathy Meier
Norm & Margo Meriweather
Women of Hope Circle & Quilting Group

ORGANIST
Janice Kost

SOLOIST
Carolyn Hargens
     "Children of the Heavenly Father"

CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS
"This Is The Glory"
"What A Friend We Have In Jesus"
"I Know My Redeemer Lives"

INTERMENT
Benton Lutheran Cemetery
Crooks, South Dakota