Clifford (Cliff) Milton Harding Hokanson, age 95, died peacefully on Saturday, January 30th, 2016, following a seven month struggle with cancer. At the time of his death, he was receiving hospice care at SummerWood of Plymouth, where he lived with his beloved wife of 66 years, Ele (Eleanor Quickstad). Clifford was born on November 22nd, 1920, and grew up on a farm outside of Otisco, MN. His father passed away tragically after being struck by lightning when Cliff was only 10 months old. High school was delayed as Cliff stayed home to care for his ill mother. He then attended Waseca High School and graduated as valedictorian in 1939. Following high school he entered Gustavus Adolphus College where he sang in the Gustavus Choir. He graduated with honors in 1943 with majors in chemistry and history. After college, he served in the US Navy as a radar technician, but was granted an emergency honorable discharge when his brother Fridolph, his wife and one of his daughters were killed in a car/train accident. Cliff returned home to help run the family farm. Cliff and Ele were married in 1949 at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church in Lemond, MN. They lived in New Richland and then Arlington, MN, where Cliff taught high school science and mathematics. He enjoyed teaching but, with farming still in his blood, in 1951, he and Ele moved to a farm southwest of Owatonna. While Cliff loved working with the animals, he was especially interested in soil conservation, and was recognized for his work in that area. Ultimately, for health reasons, Cliff returned to teaching. He began graduate work at Mankato State University and obtained a Master's Degree in General Science in 1968. This led to a position teaching in and serving as head of the Mathematics Department at the Southern School of Agriculture in Waseca, which later became the University of Minnesota Technical College for Agriculture. Cliff was passionate about teaching applied math for agriculture. Unable to find a suitable textbook for that subject, he wrote Applied Problems in Mathematics for Agriculture, which is still used in technical colleges today. After 22 years, he retired from the Technical College in 1986. Family and faith were central to Cliff throughout his life. He and Ele raised three daughters who have fond memories of growing up first �˜on the farm' and later �˜in town' - Owatonna, where the family moved when Cliff left farming. His guiding faith was evident not only in the way he led his life, but in his active involvement in his church, whether serving in numerous leadership positions or singing in the choir, as a member of Vista, Pontoppidan, Trinity Lutheran Church. Cliff served as a chairman of the Steele County Red Cross Fund Drive, as president of the Steele County Farm Bureau Service Company and was a member of the Steele County District #2123 Rural School Board. He also served as president of the Lutheran Brotherhood Straight River Branch #8034. Cliff was a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Owatonna Golden K, serving as president and international representative. He was also a member of the Owatonna Retired Educators Association. In retirement, Cliff devoted countless hours to his love of gardening (especially his roses), playing cards and doing puzzles. He loved music - particularly choral and organ music - which had always been a source of joy, especially when performed by his girls. Most important to him was time spent with family. He felt blessed by them and they were clearly blessed by his kind, patient and loving spirit. Cliff was preceded in death by his mother and father, Anna and Carl Hokanson, brothers Fridolph and Herb, sister Helen, uncle Joe, and mother and father-in-law, Ella and Harry Quickstad. He is survived by his wife Ele; daughters Mona Grote (Gary) of Wausau, WI, Cindy Chapman (Steve) of Minneapolis, MN and Dede Jorstad (Jor) of Minnetonka, MN; grandchildren Jesse Grote (Brier), Nathaniel Chapman (Erin), Shelby Grote, Rebekah Lunn (Austin), Siri Jorstad and Gunnar Jorstad; great-grandchildren Elliot and Jemma Grote, Graeme and Levi Chapman and Hokan and Rune Lunn. Memorial service to be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 609 Lincoln Avenue South, Owatonna, MN 55060 on Saturday, February 6th at 10:30 AM. Visitation will be held one hour before the service with lunch to follow. Memorials preferred to the Trinity Lutheran Church Music Ministry Memorial Fund. Arrangements by Michaelson Funeral Home in Owatonna. Visitation: 02/06/2016 09:30 02/06/2016 10:30 Service: 02/06/2016 10:30