Waldo E. Hatledal

Waldo was born December 28, 1922, to Andrew and Clara Ingebretsen Hatledal, in Moland Township, near Glyndon, MN. He grew up on the family farm located on the Buffalo River and completed the 8th grade at Riverside School northeast of Moorhead. Waldo helped his mother on the farm at an early age. His father died when Waldo was eight. The family continued to farm until moving to Hawley in 1939. In 1945, Waldo entered the U.S. Army and served in Okinawa during World War II. After returning, he shared farming with his brother Raymond and Ray's wife, Margaret who continued to help with farming after Ray's death until both Waldo and Margaret retired. Even though "retired", Waldo continued to think of himself as a farmer and worked and lived on the farm up until the very day he became ill last summer. In addition to hard work, Waldo particularly enjoyed woodworking and socializing – with a healthy dash of kind-hearted teasing always bubbling to the surface. He will be remembered for his kind spirit, and for reaching out to a number of younger individuals and by including them in farm life, teaching them the benefit of hard work, consistency, and being independent. He was a long-time member of Lysne Lutheran Church, rural Hawley. Mostly, he was a good neighbor, helping others when they needed help – confident that his reward would come in the next life.He is survived by his sister Cora Frederick who is 96, nephews Garry Frederick, Les Frederick and Ernie Frederick, all of Seattle WA, Margaret's niece Mary Smith and family of Ulen, cousins Gladys Ingebretsen and family of Glyndon and Ethyl Menholt and family of Felton as well as other members of the Ingebretsen and McGregor families in the area. While there are Hatledals living in Canada, Waldo's passing marks the end of the Hatledal line in the U.S.He was preceded in death by brothers, Melvin 1931 and Raymond 1972 and by his sister-in-law Margaret Hatledal who passed away this past May 2011.