Val Haugen, 101, died on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood.

A Memorial Service celebrating Val’s life was held on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood with Rev. Krista Lee officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date in Madeli. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood.

Velva “Val” Marie Kubly was born on May 22, 1923, near LuVerne, Iowa, to Wilbert and Marie (Kraft) Kubly. She grew up on a farm between Corwith and Renwick, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Renwick. Val attended school in Livermore, where she graduated high school in 1940 and then moved with her family to a farm near St. James. That fall she enrolled at American Institute of Business in Des Moines, Iowa, where she completed a two-year secretarial course.

Val married Marland B. Haugen on Nov. 7, 1942, at Rosendale Lutheran Church near Madelia. The pair made their home in Madelia, where they raised their two daughters, Karen and Kaye. Val served as Trinity Lutheran Church’s office secretary for 12 years and as office manager at Luther Memorial Home for over 10 years. From 1963 to 1983, Val and Marland co-owed Haugen Transit, Inc. in Madelia, where she served as secretary/treasurer of the corporation. The two retired and moved to a home on Pelican Lake near Glenwood in 1983.

Val was a member of Glenwood Lutheran Church, Pelican Lake Ladies, PEO Sisterhood, VFW Auxiliary 3815, Glenwood Lutheran Church Women and served as secretary of the Glenwood Retirement Home Auxiliary Board for six years. Previously, she had served as secretary on the church council of Trinity Lutheran Church in Madelia, and as teacher and treasurer of the Sunday School. She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary for over 50 years.

Val enjoyed traveling which included a Caribbean cruise and trips to Hawaii, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand, the Fiji Islands and an unforgettable trip to China and Hong Kong with her two daughters in 1994. She loved her family very much and each one was special to her. She loved to play cards and spent countless hours playing cribbage with her grandsons, always with a running tab of who won throughout the years. There were countless games of 500 played with her parents and siblings and their wives/husband. She also collected thousands of recipes and enjoyed preserving, cooking and baking which resulted in three freezers full at all times.  It was always a given that whenever the family came to visit, they had to have her wonderful buttermilk pancakes and all the trimmings every morning.

Val is survived by her sons-in law, Bruce Nelson of Glenwood and Daniel Wihlm of Madelia; eight grandchildren, Traci Henry of Madelia, Troy (Jenny) Wihlm of Princeton, Terri (Bill) Leonard of Sioux Falls, S.D., Todd (Stacy) Wihlm of Mankato, Tony (Michelle) Wihlm  of Omro, Wis., Jodi McGinty of Glenwood, Bradley Nelson of Forest Lake and Greg (Lindsay) Nelson of Glenwood; 23 great-grandchildren, Joshua, Justin, Jordan and Jared Henry of Madelia, Brandon Olson, Kelsy (Derek) Slaughter and Katelyn (Rhig) Lacey of Sioux Falls, S.D., Carter, Carson, Colin and Colby Wihlm of Madelia, Madelyn and Mason McGinty of Glenwood, Addison and Braden Wihlm of Princeton, Kayla, Avianna and Brielle Wihlm of Omro, Wis., Ayla and Aksel Nelson of Forest Lake and Stella and Summit Nelson of Glenwood; and three great-great-grandchildren, Ivan and Easton Henry of Madelia and Blakely Slaughter of Mankato; along with many special nieces and nephews.

Val was preceded in death by her husband, Marland, in 1990; her daughters, Karen Wihlm and Kaye Nelson; her sister, Mabel Ramsvig; brothers, Orville, Leonard and Marvin; and a grandson-in-law, Jon Henry.

To send online condolences, visit hoplinhitchcockfuneralhome.com.