Ruby Haugen
Ruby Sophie Haugen, 78, went home to be with the Lord Saturday, April 3, 2010, at the Northern Montana Hospital surrounded by her family. Her funeral service will be held Friday April 9, 2010, at the First Luthern Church with Pastor Brad Ulgenes officiating. Luncheon and burial at the Highland Cemetery will follow. Memorials in Ruby’s honor may be made to the First Luthern Church or to a memorial of one’s choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland and Bonine Funeral Home.
Ruby was the youngest child born to Thorvald and Emma Elise (Berg) Marsten Sept. 22, 1931, in Watford City, N.D., where she grew up and attended school. She married Clifford Haugen July 15, 1950, in Eugene, Ore. They followed Clifford’s work from Oregon to Montana where they settled into a lifelong love of farming east of Havre, raising six daughters. They celebrated 55 years together.
Ruby was a talented homemaker, teaching each daughter to sew. She passed down the family Norwegian traditions of making Lefse and Rommegrot. She created most of her daughter’s formal, graduation, and wedding dresses. For many years, she surprised Cliff with a new handmade wool shirt tailored to fit him. Every harvest found her in a grain truck hauling wheat to town or to the bin. She hardly missed a daughter or grandchild’s music or sporting event. She made it clear to them that music was a God-given gift and to use it to honor Him.
She was known for her loving nature, compassion and her great love and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. She was a member of the First Luthern Church, Ladies Circle and various Bible studies. Ruby loved flower gardening, playing Pinochle and Whist, watching old westerns, music and waltzing with Clifford.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Clifford Haugen, in 2005; sister, Ragna Haugen, and brother, Thorleif Marsten; grandsons Jerod Verploegen and Benjamin Finch.
Ruby is survived by her six daughters: Sandra (Johon) Glover of Kent, Wash.; Arlys (Glen) Finch of Dexter, Minn.; Marcia (Don) Verploegen; Shelly (Lon) Ohm; and Stacey (Lon) Waid all of Havre, Mont.; 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; sisters Edna Klosterman of Lincoln City, Ore., Olga Hovet and Agnes Winden of Watford City, N.D. and numerous nieces and nephews.