Millard Monson

Millard Monson, 94, of Hatton, ND passed away Monday, November 18, 2013 at Hatton Prairie Village in Hatton. A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 2:00pm at Holmes United Methodist Church, rural Reynolds, ND. A visitation will be held Friday, November 22, 2013 from 5:00 to 7:00pm with a 7:00pm prayer service at the Bilden Funeral Home, Northwood, ND. Burial will be held at the ND Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, ND at a later date.
Millard was born May 22, 1919, the son of Martin and Mina (Offerdahl) Monson. With the exception of his years of military service during WWII, Millard lived all of his life in the home where he was born. This young Norse boy was educated in Union #54 country school where he learned to speak English. He attended Hatton High School and worked on the family farm. Millard later worked in the defense industry, building B-24 bombers for Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, just prior to his May 1942 enlistment in the Army Air Corps. During his military service, he was stationed at bases in California and Arizona, receiving his honorable discharge in December 1945.
Millard was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church when the Norwegian language was still prevalent. He held various offices in the church and Sunday school until that church closed in 1983. He also served on the Hatton School Board of Education and on the boards at the Tri-County Nursing Home. Millard was a 60+ year member of the Carroll O. Flesche American Legion Post #70 of Hatton.
On June 21, 1943, Millard was united in marriage to Lucienne Gensrich, also of Hatton, in a church in Inglewood, CA, during wartime. After 44 months of military service and his discharge, the couple moved back to the family farm northeast of Hatton. With a commitment to the land and expert mechanical skills, Millard was even more ready for farming. He invented and fabricated labor-saving mechanical devices. Although he never sought to patent any of his inventions, he delighted in sharing any ideas that made for better methods of farming. Millard had a solemn reverence for the land he farmed, and he embraced soil conservation techniques while striving for utmost productivity. The farm and his family were his life. He and Lucienne regularly inspected his fields, even in recent months. Millard remained active in the farm operation far beyond the usual retirement age until his health prevented otherwise. Throughout many years, their farm was the gathering spot for their growing family and many dear friends.
Millard is survived and will be sadly missed by his wife, Lucienne; 3 children: Vicky (Lee) Burton, Winneconne, WI; Terry (Joanne) Monson, Bismarck; and John (Shirley) Monson, Hatton. He also leaves 8 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Wynne Monson, Laverne Monson, and Joyce Gensrich. Millard was preceded in death by his parents and 3 brothers, Kermit, Bert, and Elner.