Harold Welgraven

Harold Welgraven, age 76, of Chandler, MN died on Friday, July 19, 2013 at the Hospice Home in Slayton, MN.  Services will be held on Tuesday, July 23 at 10:30 a.m. at the Chandler Reformed Church.  Visitation will be held on Monday, July 22 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm at the Chandler Funeral Chapel, and continuing one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Chandler Memorial Cemetery, with a luncheon served immediately afterward in the church fellowship hall.

Harold Welgraven was born on February 8, 1937 on a farm near Chandler, MN to Wynand and Hendrikje (Veldhuizen) Welgraven. He was baptized, made profession of faith and has been a lifelong member of the Chandler Reformed Church. When he was young, he moved with his family to a farm near Woodstock, MN. He graduated from Lake Wilson High School, Lake Wilson, MN. He continued to work with his father on the farm.  Harold married Grace Smith on December 18, 1959 in Chandler, MN.  He was drafted into the army in 1960. The family lived in Seaside, CA and Tacoma, WA while Harold was in the service.  While stationed in Germany, Harold was able to visit family in the Netherlands during a leave.  After returning from the Army in 1962, the family moved back to the Lake Wilson and Chandler area where Harold worked at Slayton City Dairy for several years before farming.

Harold served on the C-LW School Board, the Murray County Farm Bureau, deacon of the Chandler Reformed Church, and was a member of the Chandler Lions Club.

Spending time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren was a great joy for Harold. He also liked traveling, visiting with friends and family over a cup of coffee, old cars and riding his Gator.

On July 25, 2012, Harold became a resident of the Our House, the Hospice home in Slayton, MN.  He died on Friday, July 19, 2013 at the age of 76 years, five months and 11 days. Harold is survived by his wife, Grace Welgraven, Chandler, MN; two daughters, Joyce (Ed) Stoel, Edgerton, MN, Karen (Todd) Langland, White, SD and one son, Dennis (Roberta) Welgraven, Chandler, MN; two sisters, Henrietta De Zeeuw, Pipestone, MN Alberta (Joe) Haynes, Minneapolis, MN; twin-brother, Bert (Alvina) Welgraven, Tyler, MN; one sister-in-law, Arlene Welgraven, Sioux Falls, SD; Brother-In-Law, Roger (Karen) Smith, Chandler, MN; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Harold was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Henry Welgraven, parents-in-law, George and Johanna Smith, two brother-in-laws, Sidney De Zeeuw and Adrian Smith; and one sister-in-law, Nancy Smith.