Clara Buntje

Clara Gurina Hagen was born March 24, 1908 in Stevens Township, near Alberta, Minnesota. She was the oldest of nine children born to Tollef and Bertha (Gunderson) Hagen, She was baptized and confirmed at the Reque Lutheran Church near Alberta. She attended District #49 country school through the eighth grade. Following her schooling, she did some housekeeping for various families in the area, as well as helping her mother at home. When Clara of 15, she took sewing lessons from Miss Eck in Morris and then worked for her for several months. She also worked at the bakery and at Johnson's Hardware Store for several years. On March 10, 1932, she was united in marriage to Clarence Buntje. The couple made their home in Baker Township in Stevens County, where they farmed and raised their son, Ordell. In 1954, Clarence was in a bad car accident, followed by a couple of strokes that left him home bound. Clara cared for him in their home for the next 12 years, while Ordell ran the family farm. Clarence died on July 14, 1966. Clara remained on the farm until 1969, when she moved to Crosslake, where she lived until 1973. She then moved to Grandview apartments in Morris. She worked for the next eight years in the kitchen at the Morris Hospital, before retiring at the age of 70 years. Clara has continued to live in Morris since that time.





Clara died on Monday, June 4, 2007 at West Wind Village in Morris, having lived to reach the age of 99 years.





She is survived by one son: Ordell (Beverly) Buntje of Crosslake; 3 grandchildren: Dana (David) Anderson of Belleville, WI, Shane (Cricket) Buntje of Oakdale and Heather Berger of Crosslake; 7 great-grandchildren: Tyler, Kendyl and Karly Anderson, Nicole, Cassandra and Grant Buntje and Ghage Berger; two sisters: Alice Danielson of Hallock and Lavine Scheuble of Mendota Heights and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband; one grandson-in-law: Tyson Berger; parents; four sisters: Gunda Fogle, Sylvia Barrett, Edna Berven and Viola Williamson and two brothers: Sig Hagen and Elmer Hagen.





Pallbearers for the service are: Dick Hagen, Harlan Fogle, Ronald Buntje, David Buntje, Earl Zimmerman and Norman Wade. Honorary pallbearers are all of Clara's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Deb Mahoney will serve as organist for the service with Mary Huebner serving as soloist. Pedersen Funeral Home in Morris is in charge of the arrangements.