Mons Olai Vik was born October 15, 1872, near Ridgeway, in Winneshiek County, Iowa, the son of Mons and Oline (Stangeland) Vik. He was baptized in the Lutheran faith November 10, 1872, by Rev. D. Lysness of Winneshiek County. At the age of seven years, he together with his parents, brothers and sister immigrated to Minnesota, coming directly to Yellow Medicine County. His father secured railroad land, and later bought the homestead rights on a quarter located two miles north and west of Clarkfield. Here Mons spent most of his life. The family joined Bergen Church and remained members of that church until a church was organized in Clarkfield. Mr. Vik was confirmed in Bergen Church by Rev. O. Lokensgaard. In 1895 he married Katherine Hanson, daughter of a neighboring family. Rev. Rollev Fjeldstad performed the ceremony. To this union the following children were born: Melvin of Onamia, Minnesota, Ruth, Reuben and Olaf of this community, Theodore of St. Anthony, Idaho, Oliva (Mrs. Abner Hendrickson) of Cresco, Iowa, Hendrik of Kingsley, Iowa, Mable and Arthur passed away in early childhood. Mr. Vik was an energetic person, not only in his own affairs but also in church and community. He was always at the forefront in any civic improvement. He was a leader in the move for school consolidation in the Clarkfield community, and served a number of years on the Board of Education, Consolidated School District No. 43, in which he retained his interest to the end of his life. Feeble as he was toward the last, he was very much interested in the outcome of the current school expansion here. In the farm co-operative movement he was one of the leaders that gave Clarkfield the reputation of being one of the most co-operative-minded localities in the state; helped organize the Co-op Oil Company and the lumber Co-operative; and was a faithful supporter of the Farmers Elevator. For many years he and his sons maintained a large herd of purebred holstein cattle. With his brother-in-law, H.R. Hanson and other partners, Mr. Vik was engaged in the hardware business in Clarkfield, and also represented the Playford Silo Co. in southwestern Minnesota and eastern South Dakota in the '20s. The Yellow Medicine County History printed in 1914 says of him in part: "Mr. Vik has been a local officer ever since becoming of age. He was on the township board about 12 years, as chairman part of the time. He has been on the board of school District No. 33 fifteen years; nine years as clerk and in recent years a treasurer." Mr. Vik was a member of the local Ev. Lutheran Church for over fifty years, a faithful worker and generous, especially in the field of missions. In 1942 he and his faithful wife were honored by that church on their golden wedding day. With age coming on and failing health the Vik's left the farm and purchased a home in Clarkfield, where Mr. Vik lived the last years of his life. Mrs. Vik prededed him in death a year ago last March. He will be remembered as a man of strong convictions, and the courage to stand up for them when they were not popular. The more loudly the public proclaimed the virtues of any project, the more carefully he would look for flaws, and he usually detected them if they were there. Mr. Vik will be missed for his many sterling qualities as a man and citizen. Mr. Vik passed away Friday evening, May 25th, 1951, at his home in Clarkfield, at the age of 78 years. Funeral Services at the home 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, 1951, 2:00 p.m. Clarkfield Ev. Lutheran Church, Clarkfield, Minnesota Clergy Officiating, Rev. J.E.H. Akre Final Resting Place Clarkfield Lutheran Cemetery Clarkfield, Minnesota Arrangements by Lynner Funeral Home Since 1891 Clarkfield Minnesota