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Harvey Piper

Sep 25, 2009

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, rural Minnewaukan, for Harvey D. Piper, 90, who died Friday, Sept. 18 at the Heart of America Medical Center Long Term Care in Rugby.

Burial was in the church cemetery.

Harvey was born March 29, 1919, on the family farm in Eldon Township, near Minnewaukan, a son of Hiram and Hulda (Jacobson) Piper. He was educated at the Eldon rural school #2, graduated from the Benson County Agricultural and Training School in Maddock and attended agricultural classes at the State School of Science in Wahpeton. From April of 1942 until September of 1945, he served as a staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps as a radio operator in the C-46 and C-47 planes in the Southwest Pacific Theatre in New Guinea and the Philippines during WWII. He married Evelyn L. Schuman on June 18, 1946 at the West Minnewaukan Free Church. He worked as a mechanic at the A-One Bit & Tool Company in Tioga, at Boeing in Seattle, as a bench mechanic at Boemark Missile Company and, at one time, owned a T.V. repair shop. He farmed in Aurora Township, near Minnewaukan, from 1946 until retiring in 1998. The couple moved to Rugby in 1997, and, in 2004, he entered long term care at the Heart of America Medical Center.

He was a member of West Minnewaukan Free Church until its closure, and St. Olaf Lutheran Church. He served as chairman, secretary, treasurer and trustee in both congregations. He served 16 years as secretary of the Farmers Union Elevator Board in Minnewaukan, 33 years on the Aurora Township Board, as secretary of the Benson County Co-op Credit Union, as a member of the Benson County Farmers Union Board and held memberships in the American Radio Relay League, Robert Tovsrud VFW Post #757 of Harlow, American Legion and National Rifle Association of America.

He is survived by his wife, Evelyn of Rugby; a daughter, Estelle Harder of Rugby; a son, Ronald of Minnewaukan; two grandsons; a brother, Robert of Devils Lake; a sister, Lorraine Fossen of Maddock; and other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Henry, George and Leroy; and sisters, Ena Loken and Lois Piper.

Pastor Mike Pretzer officiated. Military Rites were accorded by the Robert Tovsrud VFW Post #757 of Harlow. Music was provided by Nancy Silliman, vocalist, and Elaine Fargo, organist.

Casketbearers were Marinell Holtz, Joan Wollschlager, Loren Smith, Michael Loken, James Fossen, James Larson, Lester Ellingson Sr. and Gerald Schlenker.

Arrangements by Nelson Funeral Home, Maddock.