Hanley Reigstad

Hanley S. Reigstad, age 89, of Sunburg, died Monday evening, April 1, at the Rice Care Center in Willmar.

A memorial service will be held at 11 A.M., Saturday, April 26 at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunburg. The interment will be in West Norway Lake Lutheran Cemetery with Military Honors provided by the VFW Post 1825 of Belgrade, Minnesota. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements are with the Peterson Brothers Sunburg Funeral Home. (www.petersonbrothers.com)

Hanley was born November 1, 1924, in Sunburg, the son of Arthur and Hazel (Edman) Reigstad. He grew up in Sunburg, attended school there and graduated from New London High School in 1942. He joined the U.S. Army at age 17, shortly after graduating from high school. He served in France in World War II and was reactivated during the Korean Conflict to serve as a trainer of troops in the U.S.

He married Evelyn Sorenson on July 29, 1946. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he worked as a mechanic with his father at Reigstad Motors in Sunburg, for Minneapolis Moline, Willmar Poultry and Onan Manufacturing in Minneapolis. In his retirement years, he enjoyed collaborating on projects with his son Gordon in his engineering business, Reigstad & Associates. Hanley was the mayor of Sunburg for several years and loved visiting with people both in English and Norwegian. During his five plus years at Rice Care Center, he was known for his big welcoming smile.

Hanley is survived by his wife Evelyn, of Sunburg; daughter Judy (Tim) Teer of Abbotsford, B.C., Canada; sons Gordon (Karen) of White Bear Lake; Bruce (Marna) of Willmar; Don (Pam) of Willmar and Marvin (Marcia) of Hector; son-in-law Rick (Marci) Poverud of Broken Arrow, OK; 27 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; and sister Rosalie Johnson of Willmar.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Connie Poverud; grandson Daniel Reigstad; great-grandchildren William Caploe and Evelyn Baker; and sister Arlene Grothem.

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