The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-06-10
III. M. Aune Rites
Continued FROM page one)

tCOntlnue0 1rOh page one)
for over 80 years. Captain Tom
Moss, rector, conducted the rites
A male quartet composed of w
M. Smith, Joe Lauterbach, Glen
Lauterbach and F. H. Anthony
sang Beautiful Isle of Some
where" "There Is Blessed
Home" and abide With Me-"
Pail bearers were w. S. Bran
mer, c. A. Luscher, 0. j. Bollum
j. r. Keefe, A. c. Burmeister and
George A. Barnes.
All Redwood Falls business
places and public offices closed
from 1:30 p. m. until $3.50 p. m.
in response to proclamation is
sued by Mayor J. F. Knudson.
Mr.. Aune was born in Norway,
May 10, 1861, the son of John and
Matte Batsager Aune. His faith
er died in 1875 and the widowed
mother then came to America,
locating at Red Wing. Mr.. Aune
attended school until 1880 when
at the age of 10 he came the
United States with his brother to
join their mother. During the
winter months he attended school
and worked at various jobs in the
summer. He helped lay the first
steel railway tracks between Red
Wing and Winona, worked in a
lumber yard and later became a
clerk for dry goods merchant,
c. G. Clausen.
After four years he was trans
ferred to the merchants branch
store at Zumbrota. His mother,
who made her home with him,
died in 1886.
In the spring of 1887 he came to
Redwood Falls and founded the
clothing company which celebrat-
ed is golden anniversary May 10,
ID and Is of this year. At that
time he was in partnership with
P. M. Ringdahl, another young
man who had been station agent
at Zumbrota. -.,,-. w..
After Is months, Mr.. Ringdahl
sold his share in the store to C. C.
Thune who had clerked with Mr..
Aune at Zumbrota. He died sew
eral years ago, but the firm still
maintains his name. ,.-... -.
In May a three day event at
which Mr.. Aune was honored and
hundreds of friends sent flowers
and notes of congratulation, cele-
brated his stores fftieth anniVer-
sary. Abraham S. Hart, son of
one of the founders of Hart
Schaffner and Marx company
which boasts the Aune store as
its second oldest account in the
United States, was one who came
here to pay him tribute.
The history. of the store in
cludes examples of the dauntless
courage and logged determina-
ton Of its founder. After build
ing business which warranted
the opening of a branch at Echo
in, 1892 and another at Dawson in
1900, the partners saw their en-
tire stock and fixtures in Red
wood Falls wiped out in a fire
October %, 1908. Fourteen days
later they were open for business
in another location and June 81,
1904 grand opening of their
new store at the present location
was held.
In October 1926 fire again
destroyed much of the. stock but
n March 1927 the institution was
again doing business.
For half century, Mr.. Aune
has occupied an eminent position
here and his work has left a last
ing impression on the official life
of city, county and educational
affairs. -s----, ...
His terms for four years as aid
erman and four terms as mayor
were marked by great progress tn
Redwood Falls. For Is years he
was member: of the board of
county commissioners, serving as
chairman for Is years. AS secre-
tary of the board of education for
Is years, he also rendered distin-
guished service. He was instru-
mental in the establishment of
Ramsey state park and was a
member of the park board for
many years.
He organized the Redwood
Falls Electric telephone company
and for 10 years was secretary
treasurer of the organization.
Fraternally he was affiliated with
the KNIGHTS of PythiaS.
Death came about p. m. Sat-
urday. He has been sitting in the
lobby of the hotel after dinner
and then went to his room. He
called for physician, saying he
was not feeling well and died a
few minutes later. .--
Surviving are his wife, the
former Carine Swain of Madison,