Ruth (Kasper) Haugland

Ruth V. Haugland Obituary Ruth Kasper Haugland went home to Jesus her Savior on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at age 78 in Dillon, MT, shortly after receiving a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.  She is survived by husband, Garth; daughter Loree (Kevin) Morgan and grandchildren David and Natalie McKay; daughter-in-law Amy Haugland and grandchildren Regina (fiancé Nick True) and Grady Haugland. She was preceded in death by her brother Louis Kasper and sisters Mary Lunde and Mildred Rauch, son Galen Haugland, and son-in-law, Joe McKay. Ruth was born on the Kasper family farm at rural Courtenay, ND to Louis and Velma (Van Winkle) Kasper.  After her father died in 1949, Ruth and her mother and younger sister Mary moved to Appleton, MN, where she graduated as valedictorian of the Appleton High School Class of 1953. Ruth married Garth Haugland on November 25, 1956 in Garner, Iowa. In the spring of the following year they hooked their 38 foot house trailer to their 1956 Plymouth sedan and headed for Helena, MT - what a trip that was! After living on a U.S. Forest Service lookout for the summer they moved to Missoula, MT, where children Loree and Galen were born. They lived in Kalispell, Billings, Butte and finally Dillon. Ruth worked in several of hospital laboratories over the years and completed a degree in chemistry with medical technology accreditation at Montana Tech in Butte, Montana.  She continued her education at the University of Montana-Western in Dillon and earned certification as a professional in human resource management.  She retired from Barrett Memorial Hospital and the Barrett Hospital Foundation with 24 years of service in the laboratory, human resource management, and the foundation.   She served in several ways at Our Savior's Lutheran Church and Southwestern Montana Family YMCA in Dillon, and also enjoyed chaperoning Beaverhead High School students involved in Youth in Government, and facilitating many Elderhostels.  She enjoyed family adventures, travel, and photography.   She would want it known she felt God blessed her greatly in life and she was joyful at the prospect of eternal life in Heaven.   A celebration of Ruth's life will be held Saturday, January 18, 2014 at 2:30 PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 715 East Bannack St., Dillon, MT. Before her passing, Ruth suggested memorials could be directed to Our Savior's Lutheran Church; Southwestern Montana Family YMCA; Barrett Hospital Foundation; or Beaverhead High School Youth in Government, c/o Bernie Wasser, all in Dillon, MT.