Dr. Del (Delmer) Helgeson, 79, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2008 at his home near Park Rapids.
He was born in 1929 in Lansford, N.D., to Henry and Clara Helgeson. They moved to Bottineau, N.D. where Del grew up on a farm. He attended rural schools in Bottineau County and then attended Bottineau High School.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1948 and took his basic training at Ft. Knox, Ky. He served with General MacArthur's Occupation Forces in Japan and in the Korean War with the Headquarters Company, 24th Medical Battalion, 24th Infantry Division, from 1950 until rotated back to the states in 1951. He was awarded various campaign ribbons and the Bronze Star. He was assigned to Brooke Army General Hospital, San Antonio, Texas until discharged in March of 1952.
Upon returning to North Dakota, he married Eileen L. Thompson, from Hatton, N.D., in March 1954. He attended North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo, N.D. and received a B.S. in economics and business administration in 1958. He received a M.S. in agricultural economics in 1960. He accepted a position with the 7th Farm Credit District, St. Paul Bank for Cooperatives, in St. Paul. In 1967 he accepted a position as a marketing economist with the USDA, Washington, DC, stationed at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He was under a joint research project between USDA and the Dept. of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. He earned his Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska in 1971 and upon completion of his Ph.D. he accepted a professorship in teaching/research in the Department of Agricultural Economics at NDSU, Fargo, N.D. He retired as professor emeritus in 1990.
He is best known for his agricultural value-added economic feasibility research on a state, regional and national basis.
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While at NDSU he served on various North Central regional research, university, college and departmental committees, university senate and as editor of the North Central Agricultural Economics Journal for a three-year term, from 1982-84.
He was a member of numerous professional associations: AAEA, WAEA, NCAEA, Gamma Sigma Delta, Gateway Lions, Fargo, N.D., and life membership of the Carroll O. Flesche American Legion Post 70 in Hatton, N.D.
He and his wife retired to Park Rapids.
He is survived by his wife, Eileen, of Park Rapids; a son, Gary (Nancy), of Minnetonka; and two grandchildren.
Visitation: 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30 at St. John Lutheran Church in Hatton, until the time of the service.
Funeral service: 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 30 at St. John Lutheran Church in Hatton.
Interment: St. John Lutheran Cemetery.
Memorials may be directed to Hospice or the Del Helgeson Scholarship Fund.
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An online guest book is available at www.bildenfuner alhome.com.
