Mildred Marie (Midge) Duerfeldt Clausen, 93, of Tucson, AZ passed away on Saturday March 11, 2023 at Peppi's Hospice.

Midge was born on August 28,1929 in rural Herrick, SD to Raymond and Olga Duerfeldt.  Midge lived on a farm for many years. She began school in St. Charles, SD. The family moved to Aberdeen, SD for two years then returned to a farm south of Burke where she finished elementary school at the Klug School. She attended Burke High School until her graduation in 1947. In the fall of 1946 she started dating the love of her life, Cam Clausen. They were married June 17, 1947.

Midge and Cam went to Mortuary School in St. Louis, MO. They returned to Burke where Cam worked with his dad at the funeral home. Midge took her apprenticeship and was licensed in 1950.

A son, Danny Michael, was born June 10,1950. Danny became very ill and was in Children's Hospital in Omaha, NE. He passed away in August ,1950.

Cam and Midge were then blessed with three daughters; Jane arrived in 1951, Nancy followed in 1953 and Susan was born in 1959. Midge became a very busy homemaker and dedicated mother. She sewed lots of clothes for them and made all three daughter's wedding gowns.

As the girls grew older, Midge began working as a nurse's aide at the Burke Hospital. She took her SD state board exam and became an LPN.  She  really enjoyed working in the health care field. She also worked at the Clausen Funeral Home for many years.

In the 1980's Cam and Midge sold  the funeral home but they continued to work there as employees. This freed them to spend winters in Mesa, AZ where they made many friends. Cam and Midge both enjoyed ballroom and square dancing.  They taught dance lessons for children and adults. Midge enjoyed playing bridge, games, cards, making porcelain dolls, hardanger, Swedish weaving and cooking food to give to others. Her favorite sports were golfing and walking with friends. Midge was very close to her three daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Midge accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior in 1953 and was a member of Union Baptist Church. She taught Sunday School, Bible School, and as an active member of the Women's Missionary Society.  Highlights of her life were serving as a nurse at Camp Judson, a mission trip to Kentucky with daughter Jane volunteering at a United Methodist project and a trip to Mexico with the Klug's to build homes for the poor.

Cam became very ill and passed away in February 1998. Midge continued to go to Mesa in the winter and back to Burke in the summer. She continued working at Clausen Funeral Home until 2010. Midge then moved her winter home to Tucson, AZ, to be closer to her daughter Nancy and family. In October 2020 she left her Burke apartment to become a full time Arizona resident. She was able to stay in her Tucson home until 2022 when she moved to an assisted living apartment.

Left to mourn her loss are her children: Jane (Dennis) Evenson, Clear Lake, SD; Nancy (Randy) Klug, Tucson, AZ; Susan (Paul) Feltman, Canton, KS.  Her grandchildren: Jenny (Curtis) Liles, Chandler, AZ; Carmen (Jacob) Bossman, Sioux City, IA; Ryan (Suzzie) Klug, Goodyear, AZ; Regan (Jeanette) Klug, Tucson, AZ; Craig (Katie) Evenson, Clear Lake, SD; Kiva Hanes, Salina, KS; Hayley (John) Jones, Cadet, MO ; Chris Birkhead, McPherson, KS (adopted with love).  Her 26 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great- granddaughter and one great-great-grandson, on the way.

Those who preceded her in death were: her parents Ray and Olga, her brothers Melvin and LaVerne and her sister Muriel, her husband Cam, son Danny and grandson Spencer Feltman.

Funeral services for Mildred "Midge" Clausen will be held on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 10:30 A.M. at the Union Baptist Church in Burke, South Dakota.  Burial will be in the Graceland Cemetery of Burke.  There will be a visitation on Friday, March 24, 2023 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M., with a prayer service at 7:00 P.M., at Clausen Funeral Home in Burke.