Valera Halena

Valera Mae “Val” Halena, 83, a resident of Moorhead and formerly of Fergus Falls, died Monday, May 16, 2011, at the Sanford Palliative Care Center in Fargo, North Dakota. She was born at home in Orwell Township of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, the daughter of Ernest and Martha (Cordes) Bartels Sr. She grew up there, attending country school at District #197 through the eighth grade, and as an adult she went back to school and received her GED. She was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. She worked for a time in Minneapolis as a nanny and housekeeper. On July 2, 1945, Val married Howard “Ben” Shaw. Val and Ben farmed south of Vining, Minnesota, where they raised their eight children.  During that time, Val was baptized into the Community of Christ Church.  One of their sons, Steven, was very ill with kidney disease, so in 1965 Val gave one of her kidneys to him. In 1968 Val went to work at Medallion Kitchens in Fergus Falls, working there for four years. On June 4, 1971, she married Severn Halena. They lived in Fergus Falls for 29 years. Val worked for a short time at the V.F.W., Lake Region Hospital, and the State Hospital. For 11 years Val worked at the Herberger’s Department Store. Val was a very hardworking woman who loved gardening, nature, flowers, sewing, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She crocheted an afghan for each of her grandchildren, and many of her great-grandchildren, until she lost her vision. Preceding her in death were both husbands, Ben in 1989, and Severn in 2000; an infant daughter in 1962, her son, Steven, in 1967, and her daughter, Deborah Borgen, in 2008; two brothers, Edward Bartels and Ernest Bartels Jr.; her sisters Elaine Frank, Louise Kroll; and a son-in-law, David Holden. Survivors include her children: Georgia Shaw-Holden of Olympia, WA, Eugene (Dawn) Shaw of Hawley, John (Becky) Shaw of Moose Lake, Colleen (Jerry) Hoffman of Moorhead, and James Shaw of Fargo; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a sister, Irene Kidder; a sister-in-law Madelyn Bartels and a son-in-law, Ronald Borgen. Also surviving are her step-children, Wayne Halena, Candace Leitch, Glen Halena, Gordon Halena, and James Halena. Visitation: 9:00 to 11:00 Friday morning at the funeral home Service: 11 a.m. Friday, May 20, 2011, at Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls Clergy: Mike Richard, Seventy with the Community of Christ Church in Fargo Interment: 10:00 am Saturday, May 21, 2011 at Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Clitherall with Elder Richard Harding of the Community of Christ Church in Clitherall Funeral Home: Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, Minnesota