Clifford Blaine Ellefson

CLIFFORD BLAINE ELLEFSON was born June 8, 1911 in Wakonda, South Dakota on his parent's farm. He was educated in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College in 1932. He taught music and commercial subjects in various schools in South Dakota from 1932 to 1939.

He then married Marian Humphrey on June 11, 1939 and moved to the state of Washington, where he continued teaching instrumental music in several Jr. and Sr. High Schools in that state. In 1949 he moved his wife and family to Long Beach, California where he continued teaching music at Lakewood Jr. High School until 1952.

At this point he did some interior work for new church buildings for a Christian construction company. He also owned/operated a small malt shop in Lakewood, California, where he served homemade pies and ice cream products. He then became a partner with Howard Judkins in a retail music store and moved to Hemet in 1956 to open up a branch music store (originally Judkins Music), now known as Valley Music Center.

He opened up the Bible Bookstore in Hemet in 1971. Blaine was a church choir director for 33 years in various churches in South Dakota, Washington, and California. For five years in Long Beach he was also director of the Civic Light Opera Company. He sang baritone in a barbershop quartet known as "The Fathers Four" - a quartet selected by General Eisenhower to entertain at meetings at the Odlum Ranch at Indio, California. Blaine also direct a small gospel group in Hemet known as the "Reach Out Singers" and was also active in the Ramona Bowl Music Association, which provided summer concerts at the bowl.

Children born to Blaine and Marian Ellefson: Robert deceased) married to Joan Ellefson of Hemet; Karen, married to Gary Spranger of Hemet; Jan, married to Jim Thomas of Corvalis, MT; Richard, living in Santee, CA; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.