The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-04-11
LEONARD LEVORSON
WAR VICTIM, DEAD
Deceased Was Son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Gus LevOrsOn, North
Fork Residents
DIED In VET HOSPITAL
Buried With Full Military
HOnOrs in Big Grove Gem
etery-33 Years Old
(Brooten Review

(DTOOL6n R6VleW)
Big Grove church in North
Fork was filled to it's utmost ca
pacity last Tuesday afternoon by
those who had come to pay their
last respects to Leonard Levorson,
World War veteran, who died
Thursday, March 20, at the Vet
Grams Bureau hospital in the Twin
Cities. 1t was perhaps the most.
largely attended funeral that has
ever been conducted in this neigh
borhood. It is estimated that close
to one thousand people were in at
tendance.
Out of respect to one who had
served his country bravely and hon
orably on the fields of battle, it
was but fitting tribute that the
flag under which he fought should
play a prominent part in the last
sad rites, and an impressive mill
tary funeral was conducted. 81.
Services were held at the Levor-
son home, north of Brooten, at 2
o'clock and at Big Grove church
at 3 o'clock. Rev. Edward Strux-
ness, pastor of the church, preach
ed a fine funeral sermon in the
English language. Hi talk en-
bodied the fact that deceased had
taken advantage of what the
church had to offer for his spirit
ual welfare from the time of his
childhood throughout the years
of his life. Rev. H. E.. Baalson, an
uncle of the deceased, speaking in
the Norwegian language, and Rev.
Hoyne, of Brooten, in the English,
also took part in the services and
added words of comfort to the be-
reaved family.
AS the casket, draped with the
Stars and Stripes, was born into
the church it passed under the
arched colors of the Ranten-Sund-
flot Post, American Legion, and
passed thru two files of ex-service
men, eight of whom represented a
firing squad, standing at salute.
Throughout the services within the
church, a helmeted and uniformed
soldier, with a rifle at side, stood
at attention at the head and foot
of the bier. AT the close of the
service the files were again FORM
ed outside of the church. Having
passed thru the lines, the color
bearers, firing squad and service
men followed the remains to the
grave, where the final prayers
were read. Three volleys were
then fired over the grave in ac-
cordance with military custom.
Then came the sound of taps, with
an echoing response in the dis
lance, as final farewell to a COM
rade who had fought his last bat
tie.
The pail bearers were William
and Elmer Swenson, Oscar Her.
GRANDSON, Martin and Alfred En-
gen and Otto Heieie. The first three
are cousins and the last three are
second cousins of the deceased.
All are ex-service men.
At the conclusion of the funeral
sermon, Leonard's service record
was read by Legionaire o. A. Sol
berg, who, on behalf of the Ran
ten+Sundfot Post, paid him the
following tribute: Eve are proud
today to honor the memory of our
departed comrade. We recall his
faithful service to his country and
to his God. We remember his
comradeship within our Post and
his loyalty to the traditions and
the ideals of theAmerican Legion.
We do him this last honor and bid
him this last farewell"
Leonard Benoni Loverson was
born on a farm eight miles north
east of Brooten June 8, 1896, and
was therefore nearing his 33rd
birth anniversary at the time of his
death. Surviving are his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. Gust Levorson, and
three brothers and two sisters |: Ell
mo, Arnald, ALTON, Clara and Gil
ma.
He entered the service Of his
country in the great war on Feb.
%, 1913, together with some
twenty other young men from this
community, going to Camp Dodge,
where he was one of the first seven
to be admitted to Co. F, $40 In
fantry. For the next three months
he was in training at several camps
in this country. On May %, 1913,
he embarked for over seas duty,
and as member of the 33rd Di-
vision, Co. 1, 131st Infantry, par
ticipated in the following battles
and expeditions: A. E. F., Somme,
Mouse Argonne, Verdun, Cries.
saire Wood, Chipplly Ridge and
Walden. The day before the Arm
istice he was at the front in the
thick of the fight as the following
quotation from a dairy he kept, in
dicates: Sunday, Nov. 10-Start-
ed out on a raid at 80 a. m. Hik-
ed 10 kilometer. Arrived at Don
court 5 a. m. Captured first woods
at 6 a. m. Dug in and rested un-
til 1 p. m. ARTILLERY barrage
started at 1:15 p. m. Co. - and
M started over the top at 2 p. m.
Biggest battle that 131st was in /.
Captured about Is prisoners
Lieut.. Dunford and Sergeant An
derson captured by Germans. Regi-
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