Tuesday, February 13, 2018 3:30 pm
Roger Halse, 93, of Decorah, died Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home in Decorah. Services were at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16, at Decorah Lutheran Church, with Rev. David Sorenson and Rev. Brenda Crossfield officiating. Organist was Kathy Murray. Hymns were “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” “Softly and Tenderly” and “How Great thou Art.” Interment was at Burr Oak Cemetery. Military rites were performed by Decorah area vets and U.S. Navy. Casket bearers were Roger’s grandchildren. Honorary casket bearers were Roger’s friends. Arrangements were handled by Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Decorah.
Roger Phillip Halse was born Jan. 31, 1925, in Canoe Township, Winneshiek County, at home, the oldest of five children to Ralph and Maggie (Johnson) Halse. He was confirmed in 1939 at Hauge Lutheran Church and graduated from Decorah High School in 1943. Roger served in the U.S. Navy, volunteering for duty in the Naval Armed Guard Service in World War II in March 1944. He was a gunner aboard merchant ships and crossed the Atlantic Ocean several times. He was in LaHarve, France, Christmas 1944. The SS Julliet Low ship arrived in Antwerp, Brussels, around March 1, 1945, with buzz bombs coming in lots of times. Roger was in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean when the war was over in Europe. Roger made the trip to Marshal Islands in the Pacific Ocean going back to South America to get high octane gas for planes. That war with Japan ended half way on the way to South America. Roger was honorably discharged in May 1946. Roger married Grayce Halvorson Oct. 23, 1948, in Cedar Rapids. Roger worked as a machinist and tool-maker at Midland Ind. and later as a machinist at Cherry Burrell, and a painter. Their five children were born and baptized in Cedar Rapids. In the fall of 1958 Roger and Grayce moved their family to the Halse Family Farm (now known as Seed Savers, north of Decorah). In 1966 they moved to the Carlson farm where he was a partner and manager of a large beef herd operation. They also farmed land around Bluffton for 10 years. In December 1973 Roger and Grayce moved into a house on Winneshiek Avenue in Decorah. They continued to do some farming after they moved. Roger was a salesman for Arlin Brynsaas, Patz Equipment, 1973-1980. Roger then started a commodity office, running that until 1987 when he retired at the age of 62. Then he and Grayce traveled frequently to the states of Washington, California and Arizona to visit their siblings and friends. Roger was a member of Decorah Lutheran Church, enjoyed monitoring the markets on his computer, playing cards and going for coffee with his friends in earlier years. Roger moved into Arlin Falck Assisted Living in December 2009; then into Aase Haugen on his 93rd birthday, Jan. 31, 2018.
Survivors include five children: Gerald (Wilma) of Mabel, Minn., Barbara (Tim) Mueller of Decorah, Randall (Nancy) of Omaha, Neb., Dennis (Jodi) of Decorah, and Becky (Mike) Behrens of Northfield, Minn.; grandchildren and great grandchildren: Jennifer (Steve) Henry and sons Kollin and Garrett; John Halse; Heidi (Jay) Longnecker and son Trevor; Richard (Sara) Halse and children Emily and Alex; Melissa (Kye) Palmer and son Clayton; Shannon (Scott) Timp and daughters Layken and London; Rachael (Justin) Holland and daughter Nora and baby due in July; Michael Halse; Michelle Halse; Christopher Bennett; Jayme Bennett and children Jones and Remington; eight step-grandchildren, and 16 step-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Margaret Myers of Sequim, Wash. and Lois Schroeder of Port Angeles, Wash.; sisters-in-law Elaine Halse and Mona Monroe of Decorah, Leila Wallace of Edina, Minn.; and many nephews and nieces.
Roger was preceded in death by his wife, Grayce, March 5, 2006; parents, Ralph July 22, 1969 and Maggie May 31, 1979; mother-in-law, Beatrice Halverson, May 1967 and father-in-law, O.T. Halverson, April 1947; brothers, Edward Halse May 18, 1973, and Thomas Halse May 21, 2017; sisters-in-law: Dorothy Halse Feb. 1999, Doris Mathews Feb. 2006, and Olive (Ossie) Wohlford May 21, 2013; brothers-in-law Forrest Myers April 19, 1993, Thomas Monroe Nov. 1999, Lloyd Wohlford, Sr. Jan. 9, 2004, Bill Mathews Jan. 2007, and Ron Schroeder Aug. 2010; and nephews Lloyd Wohlford, Jr. 1967, and Ralph Myers 1992.
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