John Boyd Clausen was born to Harold and Beulah (Boyd) Clausen in Marshalltown, Iowa. He attended Gladbrook Community Schools, graduating in 1959. In school and within church as a child, John began his lifelong enjoyment of music. Also in 1959, John was selected and performed in the choir of the Iowa High School All State Music Festival. His high school jobs included collecting eggs for Ross Vest’s Hatchery and helping his father at the Clausen Oil Company, Phillips 66 Distributor. After high school, he was employed at Gethmann Lumber Company.

John served in the Iowa National Guard and United States Army Reserve from 1962 to 1968. He became a Registered Barber in 1963, working in Conrad, Charles City, Marshalltown, and finally Gladbrook, totaling 60 years of cutting, trimming, perming, styling, and repairing problem haircuts. In 1964, John married Patricia Alice Stonewall of Marshalltown. The couple settled in Gladbrook and welcomed two children, Matthew Tory and Tanya Irene, into their lives. The four Clausens took yearly fishing trips to Minnesota with the extended Stonewall family. In the middle of John’s busy work and family life, Pat developed cancer, bravely fought it for 13 years and ultimately lost her life in 1992. Sadly, Tanya had inherited the same gene, and it took her life in 2013.

Over the years, John was involved in Commercial Club, JayCees, Corn Carnival, Peace United Church of Christ Board, had 50 years of membership in the American Legion, and more recently joined the Sons of the American Legion. His enthusiasm for nature extended to growing many perennials in his yard; feeding birds, especially Eastern Goldfinch and Hummingbirds; and fighting off frisky squirrels. John honed a fine sense of humor, shared a variety of jokes with customers at Clausen Barber Styling, continued singing bass in church choirs and community ensembles, became involved in Trees Forever (helping to plant several hundred trees in the Gladbrook area), and was a loyal Green Bay Packer fan. He passed that loyalty down to his children and eventually even his grandchildren. John’s life changed dramatically when he met Patricia Ann Elwood Seelye, whom he married after a ten-year, long-distance courtship. In addition to his children, his military service, and his community activities, John’s proudest accomplishments were 30 years of sobriety and the friendships he built within that fellowship.

Left to mourn John are his wife of 20 years, Patricia Ann; son Matt (Kellee Perisho) Clausen of Grimes; son-in-law Tom (Tanya) Richards of Johnston; step-children, Penny Kremer of Sparta, WI; William Seelye of LaCrosse, WI; and Lester Seelye of Cresco, IA; their 11 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren; sister Audrey Kuhl of Conrad, IA; brother Haines Clausen of Bloomington, MN; sister-in-law Debra Elwood of Gladbrook; brothers-in-law Darrell (Lori) Elwood of Decorah, IA; and Donald Elwood of Colorado Springs, CO; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife Patricia Alice, and his daughter, Tanya Richards.