John C. Haugland

John Carlyle Haugland, 97, passed away on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018 at CHI St. Alexius Hospital, Devils Lake in the loving care of his family.

     John was born August 18, 1920, in the General Hospital in Devils Lake to Ingebregt (Ivar) C. Haugland and Mina (Peterson) Haugland. Though initially living in Warwick, upon the untimely death of their mother, young John and his older sister spent much of their childhood with relatives, including a time in Montana. After returning to Devils Lake, John graduated from Devils Lake High School in 1937. John attended the University of North Dakota for a year before leaving to assist his ailing father. He returned to college with $3.00 in his pocket, working his way through school, including a time in the cafeteria on the “China Clipper.” He enjoyed telling the story of how he joined ROTC because funds were limited, he had few clothes, and the uniforms were free. While in college he optimistically purchased a farm near Warwick, ND on deferred payment. He graduated from UND in 1942 and joined the Army as a 2^nd Lieutenant. Rising to Captain, John received the American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one battle star.

   After the war, John worked for a bank in South St. Paul, Minnesota, before attending evening law school at the St. Paul College of Law (William Mitchell College of Law) while working at Servicemen’s Life Insurance at Ft. Snelling and then the Commodity Credit Corporation in Minneapolis. When John was reactivated to teach ROTC at the University of Minnesota, he took a brief break from law school. Meanwhile, he raised cattle and wheat with the help of two of his father’s former farm tenants. He graduated in 1950 and moved back to Devils Lake to practice law with Clyde Duffy who retired in 1970.

   John was joined in marriage to Ruth Ellen Sinness on July 12, 1953. They made their home in Devils Lake where he enjoyed spending time with family and friends, practicing law, farming, fishing, hunting, and golfing. John was involved in many local organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Elks Club, the Sons of Norway, and the North Dakota State Bar Association. He also was a member of the American Bar Association. He was a Director of the Ramsey National Bank and Trust Company for 20 years and served as Senior Warden for the Episcopal Church of the Advent. In 1992 John was inducted into the Lake Region State College Foundation Hall of Fame for his support of the college. He had also been honored by the UND Alumni Association.

     Law was John’s passion and he practiced well into his 70s with his daughter Maren and son-in-law Peter.  

     John is remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather. He was a fount of wisdom and strong promotor of education. Experiencing the death of his parents at a young age instilled a strong family devotion. He was always available to listen and advise.

     John is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Ruth (Sinness) Haugland, his daughters, Kristin (Corry) Kenner and Maren (Peter) Halbach of Devils Lake, Kari Donnelly of Edina, MN; grandchildren, Erica (Brian) Sauer of Fargo, ND, Philip Kenner of Boston, MA, Sonia Halbach of New York, NY, Evan Halbach of St. Paul, MN, Katie Donnelly and Colin Donnelly of Edina, MN; great-grandchildren George Sauer and Victoria Sauer; former son-in-law, Marc Donnelly of Eagan, MN and Carrie Young Inwards of Rochester, MN, (who was like another daughter to him).

     He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Dolores Haugland.

     Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home on Sunday, Feb. 11 from 4 until 6 p.m. The funeral will be held at the Episcopal Church of the Advent on Monday, Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m. Memorials may be given to the Episcopal Church of the Advent or directed to the John and Ruth Haugland Scholarship fund at the Lake Region State College Foundation.