Rev. Harland O. Helland

Rev. Harland Orlando Helland, age 87, of Fergus Falls, went home to be with the Lord Friday evening, September 5, 2014 at the Sanford North Broadway Campus in Fargo.

Harland was born in Faribault, MN on April 3, 1927, to Oscar and Hattie Helland. He was baptized and confirmed at Bethany Lutheran Brethren Church in Kenyon, MN. He attended country school in Kenyon, MN until the 8th grade. He then worked for his uncle Henry Walker, until he was eighteen.

In 1945 the family purchased and moved to the farm at 1636 South Union in Fergus. In the fall of 1945 Harland resumed, at the age of 18, his schooling at Hillcrest Academy, graduating in 1950. In the fall of 1950 Harland attended Concordia College in Moorhead for one year and continued his college education at three other colleges over the next four years. In the fall of 1951 Harland begin attending Lutheran Brethren Seminary in Fergus Falls. Harland accepted the call to be Youth Pastor at 59th St. Lutheran Brethren Church, Brooklyn, NY in the summer of 1952.

In June of 1954 Harland and Mabel Helland were united in marriage at 59th St. Church creating the ministry team of Harland and Mabel for the next 60 years. They returned to Fergus Falls in 1954 where Harland continued his seminary training at Lutheran Brethren Seminary. In June of 1956 Harland graduated from seminary and in August of 1956 they moved to their first parish in Antler, ND.

In 1958 while still serving Antler, they began a Bible study in Minot, ND. In 1959 they moved to Minot, ND to join in the start and serve Our Redeemers Lutheran Brethren Church. During the summer of 1962 they joined the group in Lynwood, WA to start and serve Maple Park Lutheran Brethren Church.

In the summer of 1968 Harland, together with the assistance of Mabel, accepted the call to be director of Home Missions for the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, positions they held until 1984. The family moved to Bothell, WA where they attended Marysville Lutheran Brethren Church. In the fall of 1973, while still serving as director of Home Missions, the family purchased and moved to the family farm at 1636 South Union. They also served at Landstad Lutheran Church in Perley, Minnesota from 1979 to 1986.

In 1984 Harland accepted the role of Alumni Director for the Lutheran Brethren, in which Mabel was his assistant. In 1986 Harland accepted the position to be Chaplain of the Broen Home where he served until 2002. From 2002 to 2004 they served at Sunshine Lutheran Brethren in Holiday, FL. In 2009 they served Desert Rose Lutheran Brethren Church in Tempe, AZ.

He loved spending time with his grandchildren at the fairs and camps. Harland also enjoyed attending the Dalton Threshermans’ Reunion, classic cars, gardening, farming, drinking coffee with family and friends, singing duets with his wife, and spreading God’s word. They were also the owners of Hilltop Gardens.

Proceeded in death by his parents, brother, Lloyd and wife Ruth, two sisters Olive Helland and Carol Gunderson and a brother-in-law, Paul Seland.

Harland is survived by his wife, Mabel; two sons, Mark (Cathie) Helland and Wayne (Lisa) Helland all of Fergus Falls; daughter, Joan (Jim) Soholt of Minneapolis; 18 grandchildren Heather Randall, Shonelle Edenloff, Daniel Helland, Mark Randall, Matthew Helland, Shaylia Helland, Timothy Helland, Kristine Helland, Justin Helland, Kesheria Helland, Darion Helland, Maurika Helland, Levi Helland, Aaliyah Helland, Jon Pontius, Alex Soholt, Hannah Soholt, Katrina Soholt, Meghan Gildea; four great grandchildren, Luke Pontius, Brandon Pontius, Lillian Minge, Jacob Edenloff; his sister, Luella Helland; sister-in-law, Margaret Seland; brother-in-law, Norm Gunderson all of Fergus Falls, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation: 4-7 p.m. Friday, September 12, 2014, at Light and Life Auditorium, Broen Home, in Fergus Falls, with a 6 p.m. prayer service, and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church.
Funeral: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 13, 2014, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls
Clergy: Reverend David Foss
Interment: Bethlehem Cemetery in Fergus Falls
Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.