Lee Bjornsen was born in Gregory County, South Dakota in September 1820 to Albert and Nata Bjornsen. He grew up in Lynch, Nebraska and graduated from Lynch High in 1939. He went to aeronautics school and then went to California where he enlisted in the Navy during World War II.
Lee’s father had come from Norway
and his mother’s family were long time residents of Gross, Nebraska. Maxine Braithwait was born at Spencer,
Nebraska to William and Pearl Braithwait. Lee and Maxine were married in Jacksonville, Florida and when he was
discharged from service they moved to Sioux City, Iowa where he worked on a
farm at Lawton, Iowa. After a serious
hand accident, Lee took up barbering and eventually they moved to Orchard. They
were the parents of four children: Dennis, Cheryle married Don Havranek, Kevin, and Valerie married Dale
Nauenburg.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007