Clayton R. Jorgenson

Clayton Russell Jorgenson

Clayton Jorgenson was born November 8, 1927 to Rosa and Carl Jorgenson of Rockwell Township, Norman County, Minnesota. He attended Twin Valley Public School until June, 1943. In 1943, he moved with his family to Seattle, Washington. At the early age of 2 or 3 years old, Clay became sick with polio, and this required visits to Gillette Hospital in Minneapolis for treatment. The effects of polio did not prevent him from joining in sports events in whatever area he could assist. He attended West Seattle High School and graduated from Ballard High School, Seattle, in 1947. He went to California and worked at Armor and Co. in Los Angeles during the summer of 1947. Returning to Seattle, he began working at Boeing until 1958.

Clayton was an active member of Denny Park Lutheran Church in Seattle. He met Doris Dolva at Denny Park, and they were married on January 13, 1957 at Hawley Lutheran Church in Hawley, Minnesota. In March of 1958, they moved from Seattle to Hawley where he was employed by OK Diner. Clayton took a Chef Management course at Moorhead Technical College. He worked as a chef at a few cafés in the area, then bought The Diner and renamed it CJ’s Café. In 1989, he retired. He sold CJ’s Café and picked up a few part-time jobs, including working at the lunch counter at Wal-Mart’s newly built store in Dilworth, MN. Clayton and Doris have two sons: Russell, born in 1958, and Roger, born in 1960.

Clay was active in Hawley Lutheran Church, serving on the Church Council Management Committee, and he served on the Hawley City Council and the Hawley Park Board. He also was active as Den Father of Boy Scouts during the years that Russell and Roger were Boy Scouts. He enjoyed league bowling for many years, taking part in bowling tournaments. He enjoyed attending all sports events and fishing trips. The home in Hawley was sold in 1998, and the move to Moorhead began. Lutheran Church of Christ the King became their church home. During retirement years, they enjoyed a vacation in Hawaii, bus tours to the “snow-bird” states, and a Caribbean cruise. Many trips were made to visit Russell and family in Colorado and Roger and family in Maine. Through the years, they also visited Seattle many times to remain connected with family and friends from the Denny Park Church days.

Clayton entered Eventide Nursing Home in November, 2008, when the combination of Post Polio Syndrome and Parkinson’s required additional care.

Clayton is survived by his wife, Doris; sons, Russell Jorgenson of Fort Collins, CO, and Roger Joanne Jorgenson of Gray, Maine; seven grandchildren, Ken Brenna Jorgenson of Colorado Springs, CO, Michael Stephanie Jorgenson and Ashley Jorgenson of Fort Collins, CO, Jessica Jorgenson, Nathan Jorgenson and Abigail Jorgenson of Gray, Maine, and Kari Jorgenson of Norfolk, VA; great-grandchildren, Breckyn, Broderick, Baylor and Britton Jorgenson of Colorado Springs, CO; nieces and nephews, Linda Emery, Lori Rick Kubik, Edward Lauri Egerdahl, Scott Egerdahl and Lynette Robert Briest.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Dorothy Perry Tyndall, and Naomi Ottar Egerdahl.

In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to The Lutheran Church of Christ the King or Hawley Lutheran Church.

A memorial gathering will be held from 10-11 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11 a.m., on Saturday, December 21, 2013, in Hawley Lutheran Church, Hawley, MN.
Interment will be at Hawley Cemetery.