Instead of toasting Jesse Ronne Monday night, they ended up roasting him with good humor.

The guest of honor became the target of picnickers' barbs.

Ronne is that kind of man. His keen sense of humor and self-deprecating style have endeared him to all of Clayton township and beyond in Mower County.

So has his more than four decades of public service to the township.

"I think the closeness of people in Clayton Township make this a special place," Ronne said. "and the opportunity to serve them has always made it a pleasure to serve on the township board."

Ronne stepped down from his duties after a 42-year stint as a Clayton Township supervisor in southeastern Mower County.

"I enjoyed it. It was fun," he said. "I never got rich at it, but it felt good serving the people."

Bob Hanson, who lost to Ronne in an earlier election bid, was elected to fill the vacancy on the township board, when Ronne decided not to run again.

Ronne has put public service over self and served America's grassroots form of government -- the Clayton Township Board -- which, like the township itself, is unique.

A year ago, David Gilderhus concluded a distinguished career as the township

clerk. Gilderhus served the township board for 45 years and was replaced by David Weness.

The township board has always enjoyed a continuity of public service from its township board members.

Board chairman Keith Voorhees has served 36 years and board supervisor Morton Kellogg has served 22 years.

All for $40 per meeting.

Wayne Johnson, treasurer, 24 years, and Nordeen Snortum, assessor, are also veterans in their township board positions.

The length of service of the township officials is unique among Mower County's 20 townships, where none rival Clayton Township for the double-digit skeins of public service of its members.

The county's maintenance

engineers, brothers Milo and Roger Julson, still grade roads the old-fashioned way with a tractor load-grader combination.

Also unique is the annual township picnic held by the Clayton township residents each June. Residents gather each late-June at the township hall for a potluck picnic and fellowship as well as special events such as the Gilderhus retirement a year ago and Ronne's Monday night.

Ronne, 83, was presented a plaque from the township board members. Board chairman Voorhees said, "He's been a loyal member of the township board all those years. I've been privileged to serve with him for 36 of those 42 years. He always put the township first."

"This was a whole new territory for us," Ronne said of he and his wife, Helen's decision to locate in the township 61 years ago. "The people were good to us from the start. We would get compliments for things we didn't do."

Ronne said the more than four decades of public service saw many changes in the countryside. Agriculture changes, farm-to-market roads became blacktop highways, country schools closed and consolidated with facilities in nearby communities, fences disappeared between farms and conservation practices sought to keep the rich topsoil in place, and dozens of other transitions occurred.

Ronne recalled the successful effort of the townships to obtained funds from the Federal Emergency Management Association for flood damages in the early millennium as a favorite milestone. "We really needed that money in 2000, when the floods tore up so many of our township roads and our budgets couldn't handle the extra expenses," he said.

With wife, Helen, daughter Becky Bissen and son Wayne Ronne watching with pride and grandchildren and other family members, too, Ronne told stories, recalled events and laughed at the jokes told at his expense, while tossing his share of jibes.

A member of Trinity Lutheran Church and well-known musician he and his wife now live at the assisted living complex in Grand Meadow, but their farm in the heart of Clayton Township will forever be their home.

Roger Julson, who has worked for the Ronnes on their farm for a half century, said, "He was always there for the township."

At Monday night's annual Clayton Township picnic, many of the township's 177 residents were there for Jesse Ronne.

Lee Bonorden can be reached at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com