Erling R. Falk

A Funeral Service for Erling Falk of Roseau will be held on Friday, September 23, 2016 at 11:00AM at Moe Lutheran Church in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 22, 2016 from 5-7PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN with a prayer service at 7PM and also one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be held at Hope Cemetery in Roseau, MN. Military honors by the Roseau Memorial Honor Guard.

Erling was born on April 18, 1929 to Albert and Emma (Fjield) Falk in Wannaska’s Golden Valley Township. He attended Roseau Public Schools and graduated from Roseau High School in 1948. During high school, Erling worked for Denny’s Bee Farm, and later worked for Roseau County building bridges before serving in the United States Marine Corp from 1952 to 1954 during the Korean War. He was stationed in North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune and in Cuba. After discharge from the service he worked as a linesman for the REA. In 1955 he started his twenty-year career as a project engineer and welder with Polaris Industries when the company was in its infancy.

One highlight of Erling’s life was to be part of the 1200 mile expedition from Bethel, AK along the frozen Kuskokwim, Yukon and Tanana rivers to Fairbanks along with Edgar Hetteen, Rudy and Bessie Billberg. In 1960 they set out to promote and prove the durability of the first Polaris Sno-Travelers.

Erling worked briefly for his lifelong friend, Allan Hetteen, on the Diamond H Ranch. He then worked at the Roseau Area Hospital in maintenance from 1977 until his retirement in 1996.

Erling belonged to the VFW and American Legion. He was a member of Moe Lutheran Church since childhood, being confirmed and later married there. He also served on the Property and Cemetery committees.

He married Vera Thingelstad on July 6, 1968 and together they raised their four daughters, Sandy, Sherry, Susan and Sara.

He took pride in the cabin he built on Birch Beach, Lake of the Woods. He taught all of his daughters, many nieces, nephews and friends how to water ski. He cherished the time spent with longtime friends deer hunting on Mud Creek. Erling was a “Jack of all Trades” and a master of most. He was a perfectionist in all areas of his life.

Erling Romaine Falk passed away September 19, 2016 at LifeCare Roseau Manor at the age of 87.

Erling is survived by his wife, Vera; daughters, Sandy Critelli, Sherry (Dale) Verbout, Susan (Jason Bertilrud) Geroy, and Sara (William) O’Connell; grandchildren, Zachary Critelli, Jasmine and Madison Verbout, Lindsay, Nick, and Maya Geroy, Dylan and Paige O’Connell; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Eklund, Marge (Harold) Rognlie, and Jan (Ross Herseth) Carr. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Erling is preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Harold, and his wife Velda, sister-in-law, Clarice Nelson, brothers-in-law, Bob Eklund, Bob Carr, as well as two nephews and two nieces.

 Service Information