Clara Marie Oxholm

Clara Marie Oxholm was born to Soren and Karen Marie (Christensen) Jensen on August 15, 1906 in Tyler, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler. She attended school at Indian Grove Country School through the sixth grade. As a teenager, she cooked for her father’s road construction crew. One of the crewmembers was Arthur Nissen who she fell in love with and later married on November 5, 1923 at Danebod Lutheran Church. They lived in Tyler until 1927 after which they moved to Ward, South Dakota. In 1932, they moved to Pipestone where they resided until 1937 when they returned to Tyler. Their union was blessed with four children and 26 years of marriage together. In 1949, Arthur died, leaving her with a 10 year-old son to raise by herself. From 1948 to 1956, she operated Clara’s Drive-In in the communities of Florence, Ruthton and rural Tyler. She was known for her barbecue sandwiches and frosted root beer mugs. In 1952, she married Arnold Oxholm. In 1966, they moved into their newly built home on Linwood Street in Tyler where they lived together until Arnold’s death in 1975. In 1985, Clara moved to Danebod Village where she resided until 2005 when she entered Sunrise Manor Nursing Home. She died there Monday, April 15, 2013 at the age of 106 years and 8 months.

Clara was a member of Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler where she was a charter member of the Danebod English Ladies Aid. Her talents were displayed in her handwork and crafts. She always enjoyed visiting with her family and friends, and she was a great conversationalist.

Clara is lovingly remembered by her daughters, Anitra Lewko of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Donna Svendsen of Tyler; sons, Howard Nissen and his wife Dorene of Kasson, Minnesota, and Arthur Lee Nissen and his wife Diane of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; eight grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, nine great-great-grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Arthur Nissen and Arnold Oxholm; her three brothers, Chris, Einer, and Sophus Jensen; her three sisters, Olivia Rasmusen, Olga Stromberg, and Edna Feldman; and sons-in-law, Harry Lewko and Allen Svendsen.