Martha R. Haugen

Martha R Haugen was born June 21, 1918 in Linton, North Dakota. She graduated from Linton public schools in 1937 and attended Business College in Bismarck, North Dakota. Martha met Clifford Haugen while they were both working at the State Capital Building in Bismarck. They were married on September 9, 1942. She worked at Ft Snelling in St Paul, Minnesota and Camp Hale in Colorado during WWII.

When Cliff returned from the service in WWII in Europe, they settled in Fargo. Martha worked at the Veterans Administration in Fargo, North Dakota for 30+ years. In 1977, she was honored as Secretary of the Year for the Red River Chapter of The National Secretaries Association. She retired as the Secretary to the Director at the VA.

Martha was an active member of First United Methodist Church. She served in many roles; including various offices, Circles, and with the United Methodist Women at the local, district, conference, and jurisdiction levels. After her retirement she volunteered many hours weekly at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo until she moved to Bend, Oregon in 2007 to be closer to family.

Martha enjoyed singing in the church choir, ceramics, needlework, exercising, and playing bridge. She especially enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren whenever possible. She made 100’s of lovely Christmas tree pins and donated all proceeds to United Methodist Missions.

Martha died Friday, February 12, 2016 in Cascades of Bend, a retirement home in Bend, Oregon. She died peacefully.

She is survived by daughter Nancy (Wesley) Simonson in Bend, Oregon and son Lonny (Susan) in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. She has five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Alton (Gertrude) Rau in Linton, North Dakota. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers Ernest and Benjamin and sisters Bertha and Alvina.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Fargo First United Methodist Church Missions Ministry.