Iona H. Thune

Iona Arlene Hofland Thune was born January 14, 1922, the youngest of the 10 children of Christian and Jorgina Seim Hofland.

Iona was born on a farm northeast of Brandt, South Dakota, known as the Siverson Place.

Two months later, the family moved to the Thompson Place north of Toronto for 9 years,and finally, to the Eiler Place east of Ahler, Toronto.

She grew up living the life of a farm girl and walked an hour each way to attend country school. After graduating from country school she attended high school in Toronto for 2 years, where she met her husband to be, Perwin Thune.

She completed her junior and senior years of high school in Sioux Falls where they taught shorthand and typing which were not taught in Toronto.

She felt these courses would prepare her for a better job.

While in Sioux Falls she supported herself by working as a hired girl for room and board, but no wages.

Following graduation from high school, Iona returned to Toronto and married Perwin in 1940.

In 1942 Iona, Perwin and son Ronald, moved to Los Angeles until Perwin joined the Navy in 1943, where he trained as an electrician. During the War, Iona and Ronald stayed on a farm where Perwin joined them following the war. Perwin worked as an electrician in Toronto and Sioux Fall until the family moved permanently to Southern California.

They lived many years in Norwalk.

Iona worked for Hadley Auto Transport and Hood Pipeline Corp. in the payroll department.

Upon retirement they moved to Hemet, California, where they remained until Perwin's death in 2006. Iona spent her final years living with her son Ronald and his wife Melba in Whittier, California.



Iona is survived by 2 sons, Ronald and John; 3 grandsons, Kevin, Brian and Jason; great grandson, Lucas; great granddaughter, Melena, and great step-grandson, Jackson; along with numerous nephews and nieces and their families.



She was preceded in death by her husband, Perwin Carol Thune (1920-2006); her parents, Christian and Jorgina Hofland; her 4 brothers, Oscar, Carl, Bennie and Arnold; and her 5 sisters, Betsy, Alice, Anna, Clarice and Rose.

Iona was the last survivor of her generation. She will be remembered!