Coon Prairie from 1927 to 1976

Written by Harold O. Aasen

In 1928 the “Home Circles” purchased a parsonage in Westby for $6,000. A fund for a pipe organ in the country church was started in 1930 and shortly thereafter it was installed at the cost of $13,000.

Coon Prairie Parsonage

Pastor Holum resigned in 1947 and Pastor H.J. Holm came to serve as the interim pastor shortly thereafter. It was in the fall of that year that the Avalanche Ladies Aid purchased the cheese factory building and remodeled it so it could be used as a chapel and a place for Sunday School, Bible School, and Ladies Aid meetings. Pastor Holm conducted his farewell service on January 11 and Pastor H.O. Aasen was installed on January 19, 1948.

Since it was in 1851 that the first baptisms were recorded, and it was in that year the Reverend Nils Brandt and the Reverend C.L. Clausen conducted services in the Coon Prairie area, the congregations celebrated the 100th anniversary of these activities August 12 to 19 in 1951. In this connection it is also interesting to note that a letter, written by Reverend A.C. Preus in 1872, begins by saying: “The Coon Prairie Congregation was founded by Reverend Brandt in 1851”.

Pastor Einar Unseth, a son of Edward and Ovidia Unseth and a member of the congregation, was commissioned to be a missionary to Japan in 1954. In December of that year a new organ was installed in the Westby church at a cost of $13,000.

In 1956, John Halsten came to be the first of six seminarians to serve their internship in the Westby-Coon Prairie parish. The other five in order were: Myron Fogde, Roger Berdahl, John Anderson, John Seiber and Jimmie Herklotz.

The cornerstone of the parish hall was laid in November of 1957, and the building was completed and dedicated in 1958 at the cost of $55,000.

Harold O. Aasen

In 1962, LeRoy Peterson came to be a lay assistant and served in that capacity until he was ordained in the Westby church in 1963. Then he served as assistant pastor until the last of 1964. Pastor Bruce Buslaff was installed as assistant pastor in 1965 and resigned early in 1969. The Reverend Nybroten began his ministry in 1969 and ended it in August of 1974. Pastor Paul Jordahl was installed as associate pastor in September of 1975.

In 1965 a Carillon Fund was started by memorials given in memory of Gail Aasen, and in 1966 the Schulmerich Arcadian Carillon was installed at the cost of $13,000.

In 1966, a second parsonage was purchased to house the associate pastor, and in 1973 a large modern garage was built next to the parsonage of the senior pastor.

The Reverend H.O. Aasen resigned and retired January 31 of 1975. Pastor LuVerne Nelson was installed as senior pastor in February and Pastor Paul Jordahl was installed as associate pastor in September of the same year. Pastor Nelson and Pastor Jordahl are serving at the time when the English translation of the “Coon Prairie” Book is being published.

Pastor J.O. Holum was born in DeForest, Wisconsin on September 26, 1886. His parents were Peter S. Holum and Ingeborg Nordahl. He was baptized and confirmed in the Norway Grove congregation, attended DeForest High School, and was graduated from Luther College in 1908. The next three years he taught Latin and History of Albion Academy. He was graduated from Luther Seminary, was ordained into the ministry and served at Wheaton, Minnesota from 1914 to 1919. He was assistant pastor in Westby from July 1919 until he was called to be the senior pastor in 1921. He was married to Signe Halvorsen, daughter of Pastor Halvorsen, in 1922. Pastor Holum left Westby in 1947, served in Central Lutheran church in Minneapolis from 1947 to 1958, and other churches in Minneapolis from 1958- to 1964 when he retired. He passed away in La Crosse on January 29, 1976.

Lu Verne Nelson

Pastor H.O. Assen was born in Iola, Wisconsin on October 12, 1908. His parents were Ole J. Aasen and Georgine Bestul. He was baptized in the Zion Congregation and confirmed in Our Savior’s. He was graduated from Iola High School in 1926, from Luther College in 1930, Luther Seminary in 1933, and ordained in that year. He served First Lutheran church of Petersburg, Alaska from 1933 to 1937, First Lutheran and Wabanica congregation of Baudette, Minnesota from 1937 to 1944, a multiple parish (French Creek, South Beaver Creek, Fagerness and Tamarack) at Ettrick, Wisconsin from 1944  to 1948, and Coon Prairie and Vang congregations in Westby from 1948 to 1975 when he retired. He was married to Hulda Wiprud in  1933.

Pastor Lu Verne Nelson was born in Willmar, Minnesota on June 13, 1920. His parents were Martin Nelson and Bertha Sater. He was baptized and confirmed in the Calvary Lutheran congregation, attended Wilmar High School, was graduated from Augsburg college in 1943, and from Augsburg Seminary in 1946. He was ordained in 1946 and served parishes is the Lutheran Free Church at Powers Lake, North Dakota from 1946 to 1952, and the Spring Lake Park (Abiding Savior) congregation in Minneapolis, Minnesota from 1952 to 1975 when he came to Westby. He was married to Grace Carlsen in 1946.

Paul Jordahl

Pastor Paul Jordahl was born in Rugby, North Dakota April 15, 1936. His parents were Oscar A. Jordahl and Hildegarde Moe. He was baptized in First Lutheran church of Granville, North Dakota and confirmed in Finley high school, was graduated from Concordia College in 1958, and from Luther Seminary in 1965. He was ordained in 1965 and was a Missionary in New Guinea from 1965 to 1974. He was a Missionary in Residence in the Southern Wisconsin District (out of Janesville) from 1974 to 1975 and he came to Westby in September 1975. He was married to Jenine Peterson in 1965