Roger Hegland 1934-2010
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Roger Leonard Hegland was born on November 16, 1934. It was quite a birth -- he weighed 12 pounds! In 1935 his parents moved to a farm owned by  Thor and Lina in Oakport Township outside Moorhead, Minnesota. He graduated from Moorhead State Teachers College Campus High School. Roger and Leonard jointly farmed this land - and purchased much more - from 1953 until Leonard's death in 1969. On September 5, 1953 he married Shirley Melby. Together they spent their lives farming, and he received the Outstanding Farmer in Clay County award. They had three children. After over 40 years of marriage, Roger and Shirley divorced in 1996. Shirley died of cancer in 1998.After retiring from farming, Roger remained active in the Moorhead business community. He served on the boards of American Bank and Trust, Red River Valley Sugar Beet Growers Association, was a committee member of ASCS and served as Treasurer for Trinity Lutheran Church. He enjoyed spending time with friends and relatives and was always gracious and generous with people stopping by and always extended a hand to those in need. He also liked golfing, walking, singing, cooking and spending time in Arizona and Hawaii. His singing voice was one in a million; his CDs will live on forever. In his later years, Roger's winter home in Arizona became his primary residence. He still spent time in Minnesota during the warm summer months and always considered Moorhead his home. Roger suffered a massive stroke at his home in Arizona in December, 2009, and steadily declined until his death on New Year's Day, 2010. | |
