Ronald Eugene Haugland

Ronald Eugene Haugland, age 96, went to be with his Lord and Savior on July 14, 2026. He was born July 16, 1929, at St. Olaf Hospital in Austin, Minnesota, to devout Christian parents, Melvin and Margret Haugland. He graduated from Lyle Public School at the age of 16, having started school at age 3 because his older sister did not want to attend the country school alone. After graduation, he knew he did not want to be a farmer; therefore, he worked for the telephone company in Lyle, the Milwaukee Railroad line between Lyle and Austin, Corson Construction, and drove truck hauling grain to the Mississippi River and in northern Minnesota to Lake Superior in Duluth.

He entered the Army during the Korean War, serving from 1952-53 as a mechanical crew chief with the 6th Helicopter Company. This was the first helicopter unit to fly in combat, ferrying wounded soldiers to the hospital ship, USS Hope or to MASH units, conducting Prisoner of War exchanges, and delivering supplies to numerous United Nations troops at the front lines. After the war, he returned home and began farming with his father. He raised beef cattle, pigs, and chickens, along with grain crops, and continued farming well into his 90s.

He met his wife, Lois, on a blind date to the county fair, and they were married on January 21, 1955. They shared 52 years of marriage until Lois’s passing in 2007. Together, they built the family farm in Lyle and were blessed with four children. They loved traveling throughout the United States and took many cruises. Ronald also sold insurance for Lutheran Brotherhood and started Lyle Lumber on the farm. He volunteered with the Salvation Army and was a member of the Austin Civil Defense Unit. He belonged to the Lyle American Legion, Rural Fire Association, Cattlemen’s Association, Our Saviors Church Board, and the Six Mile Grove Cemetery Board. He later married Beverly “Dolly” Matter Martin in January 2008, and they also enjoyed traveling and going on cruises together.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly; sons, Bryce (Valda) and Mark (special friend, Jeanne); daughters, Deborah (Roger Melder) and Dawn (Gene Block); eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sister, Evangeline Whipple; and two nieces, Gayle Hartigan and Lori Anspach. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lois; a niece, Wendy Whipple; and numerous uncles and aunts.

A celebration of Ronald’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Lyle, Minnesota. A private family graveside service was held in Six Mile Grove Cemetery, Lyle. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Lyle Area Cancer Fund, Salvation Army, or Our Saviors Lutheran Church. Worlein-Hoff Funeral Homes of Austin are assisting the family with arrangements.