Philip Hetland

Philip Hetland, 88, of Moorhead, MN, died Wednesday, April 24, 2013, driving his car near his home of one year, Farmstead Estates. The hard snow was a blessing in stop-ping the car without incident.

Phil was born June 14, 1924, near Hetland, SD (Kingsbury County), to Carl and Gudrid (Vigesaa) Hetland, moving to a farm near Cooperstown, ND, with his family at age 3. He attended country school, then Cooperstown High School, graduating in 1943. He joined the U. S. Navy and was in the field of electronics, stationed at the Naval Research Lab in Washington, DC, when WWII ended. He then attended Concordia College, graduating in 1949.

On October 5, 1951, he married Lorraine Brodshaug at Horace, ND. They lived in Underwood, ND, for four years where Phil taught science, math and music and was principal. He directed a church choir there. They moved to Bottineau, ND, in 1955 where Phil had all the high school choirs and band. Great school talent resulted in award-winning groups. In 1956, Phil was offered the Engineering Dept. one-year opening at the then School of Forestry, teaching all the classes. He was coach of the baseball team and was named coach of the year. That year he also directed the Bottineau Community Choir. In 1957, Phil was offered a position in the Physics Dept. at then NDAC. He retired as Professor in 1986. While at NDSU, he was involved in many of the Christian youth groups on campus. He also earned a master's degree in his first years there.


Phil kept busy over the summers building a dozen homes, four on South River Drive in Moorhead, where they lived 51 years. All of South River Drive was bought out by the City of Moorhead in spring of 2012 and Phil watched all four of the homes he built being demolished because of the problems of flooding. Besides building homes, Phil was involved in many other ventures, such as originating the Ponderosa Golf Course and inventing many sports items as well as woodworking, turning out beautiful tables and benches. Phil was an originator of the Christian Encounter House, first in a home in Fargo, then buying the vacated Bethesda Church in Moorhead for more space. Many young people became Christians and still stay in touch. Phil spent a lot of time writing in journals on spiritual matters. The morning of his death he had written a paragraph on the awesomeness of God and His Creation. As a born-again Christian, though Phil preferred "follower of Jesus", he decided years ago that a funeral or memorial service was not necessary and requested such not be carried out; also requesting cremation. Phil was not afraid of death, knowing where he was going.

Preceding Phil in death were his parents and all of his many aunts and uncles. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Lorraine; his daughter, Marcia Dahl and her husband, Steve, Cooperstown; sister, Mavis Smith, Fosston, MN; brother, Glenn Hetland, Clatskanie, OR; nieces, LaNita Ajun, Clatskanie, Nina Palubicki, Fosston, Bonnie Bope, Homestead, FL, Carol Barner, Ontario, Canada; nephews, Scott Barner, Sandy, UT, Craig Hetland, Rocklin, CA, Marty Hetland, Canyon Country, CA, Steve Hetland, San Francisco, CA; twelve great-nieces and nephews; many cousins; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in law, Robert and Jackie Brodshaug, West Fargo, and Orten and Sandra Brodshaug, Hickson, ND.

Any memorials may be directed as the donor wishes. (Suggestions include Oak Grove High School, Fargo, Concordia College, Moorhead, or Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, Fargo.)

Condolence notes may be sent to Lorraine at 3433 28th Street South, # 306, Moorhead, MN 56560 or Marcia Dahl at 11951 5th Street SE, Cooperstown, ND 58425.