Ansel Haugom

Ansel Haugom, age 94, of McIntosh, MN, passed away on Wednesday (September 26th) at McIntosh Senior Living. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday (October 1st) at Salem Lutheran Church in McIntosh with the Rev. Aage Carlsen officiating. Interment will be in Salem Lutheran Cemetery, rural McIntosh. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service on Sunday (September 30th) and for one hour prior to the service on Monday at the church. All visitation will be held at Salem Lutheran Church in McIntosh. Military honors will be provided by the McIntosh V.F.W. Post #6891 and arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home, serving McIntosh. Messages of condolence may be sent at carlinhoialmen.com. Ansel was born December 11, 1917 to Arne and Andrina (Tofsley) Haugom in Ward County North Dakota near Minot. He passed away September 26, 2012 at age 94 in McIntosh, Minnesota.Ansel's mother passed away when he was three. The family then moved back to McIntosh where he was raised by his father and two sisters, in Lessor Township, north of McIntosh.He was drafted into the army after Pearl Harbor and was among the first Americans sent oversees during WW II, saw heavy action in North Africa and was captured at the Kasserine Pass, Tunisia. He spent 26 months as a prisoner of war in Germany. While a POW, he was shot in the back at point blank range for moving too slow and suffered many other terrible hardships. He was honorably discharged in 1945, re-enlisted and spent three years in Germany during the Occupation from 1946 to 1949. In 1950, he was reactivated from the Army Reserve and served in Korea for 10 months. He was discharged at the rank of Staff Sargeant.He married Clarice Henrietta Svalen in McIntosh October 10, 1951. They farmed south of McIntosh. Born to them were Cynthia Ann in 1952 and twins, Gene Ansel and Craig Vincent, in 1956. Craig passed away at birth.While farming, Ansel also worked on the North Dakota Missile Bases, Curfman Construction and with Oswald Grundyson and Clarence Hagen. He helped build the Fosston Hospital and many area homes.Ansel was an avid Twins fan to the very end. He loved the farm, animals and especially horses. He rode horseback into his 80's and gave many sleigh rides to his grandchildren and friends with his team and bobsled.Ansel and Clarice loved celebrations in their home and were the ever gracious hosts. Ansel was a consummate story teller, able to draw on his excellent memory of dates and people's names to give a great oral history of his life and times.The greatest joys of his life were his wife, Clarice, children, Cindy and Gene, and his grandchildren and great grandchildren.He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in McIntosh where he was active on the church council, and was a member of the McIntosh V.F.W. Post #6891.He is survived by his daughter, Cynthia (Leslie) Bly; son, Gene (Mavis) Haugom; Grandchildren, Erin (Jason) Teiken, Travis (Stacy) Bly, Galen (Kaari) Bly, Matt (Natalie) Bly; Great-Grandchildren, Ellen, Jacob and Emma Teiken, Brianna, William, Sydney and Sofia Bly, Lathe and Laird Bly, Brielle and Silas Bly; and several nieces and nephews.Preceding him in death were his wife, Clarice (June 2002); son, Craig; his parents; his sisters and their husbands, Thelma (Waldo) Erickson and Hallie (Ole) Fjeld.