PAUL HARALDSON

Paul Louis Haraldson was born Feb. 1, 1925, to Hanna Mae Anderson Haraldson and Harold William Haraldson just a few minutes after his twin sister, Pauline, surprising the family as they did not know they were having twins. Born on the kitchen table and kept warm in the stove during that cold February winter, Paul never lived more than 8 miles from that very kitchen.

Paul and Pauline were the youngest in the family, joining older brothers Curtis and Glenn and sister Berlis.

Paul, known to his friends as “Louie,” attended a one-room country school for eight years in Rock County before going to Brodhead High School eight miles away in Green County. He was in theater, band and captained the football and basketball teams. He graduated at age 16 from high school in 1942.

The children lost their mother when Paul and his twin were young and their father, grandmother, housekeeper (Mrs. Sims) and aunts Nellie and Ella raised them. He worked hard on the farm but in winter enjoyed playing hockey on a community team. He enjoyed time with his friends and was known for his sense of humor. He sang in a barbershop quartet that traveled throughout Green and Rock counties to various establishments singing for supper and drinks. Over the years he stayed competitive in basketball and especially hockey, besting many of the younger guys in the neighborhood. He continued skating well into his 70s.

Brothers Glen and Curtis went into the military during WWII and Paul was needed to stay home and farm. He joined the Army and served from 1950-1952 during the Korean War and served in Germany. He was well respected, becoming a staff sergeant and the coach for the unit’s football team. He lost hearing in one ear during artillery drills.

Home from the war, he attended agriculture classes and continued to farm. He went on a double date, and although he was meant to be with the other young lady, somehow he ended up with the new schoolteacher, a pretty redhead named Carole Quamme. Several months later in the Lutheran church in Brodhead, on Feb. 19, 1955, during a winter storm, they became husband and wife. They were married for 65 years, and Carole took loving care of him in their home during his last years of life.

Paul and Carole had three children — Eric, Paula and Joel — who all had the adventure and advantage of growing up on a farm. Lots of fun was had on the farm, including tobogganing and snowmobiling. Like most farmers Paul was a jack-of-all-trades and a patient teacher, teaching woodworking and other skills to kids in 4-H. In retirement he was known to use his noon hour to help kids on the elementary playground get their ice skates on and teach them how to skate.

Paul was a well loved and a respected member of Brodhead and local farming community. He was a member of the Decatur Lake Country Club for 60 years, starting in 1947, and served as its president in 1958. He was a longtime member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, where he held many offices. He was selected to serve on the Green County Bank Board of Directors from 1973-1998. He was on the Spring Grove Insurance Board of Directors. He served on the Rock County ASCS.

For 30 years Paul was a member of the Lions Club and served as its president in 1986. In 2003 he was awarded the Lions Club International Melvin Jones Fellow Award for outstanding service. Paul thoroughly loved his grandchildren and great grandchildren, Britta, Tenley, Gretchen, Jay, Hannah, Jack and Ivar. Paul was a generous and compassionate husband, father, friend, grandfather, father-in-law and great grandfather. He loved a good joke and kept his dry sense of humor all his life. He was always most interested in hearing what any of his grandkids or family were doing, how many fish they caught, were they dating, how was the new job or the new house? Hearing a good report made him happy.

He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Carole, children Eric, Paula Haraldson and husband Paul Schersten, Joel and Sharon Haraldson and five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His twin Pauline, siblings Glen, Berlis and Curtis, grandson Jay and daughter-in-law Deanna preceded him in death.

In lieu of flowers memorials can be directed to the family in his memory.

A visitation was held at the DL Newcomer Funeral Home in Brodhead on June 8. A visitation also took place at the funeral home on June 9 before proceeding to Rock Run Cemetery in Durand, Illinois, for graveside services.