Lee Helmer Folland, 98

Lee Helmer Folland, 98, of Halma, Minnesota, passed away at Karlstad Healthcare Center on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Lee Folland was born December 29,1925, to Issac O. and Anne Hennissen Folland in Pelan Township. He was the youngest of 7 children. Lee was baptized and confirmed at the Eidsvold Lutheran Church in Halma. He attended school in District 68 and Halma School through 6th grade, graduating from Karlstad High School in 1942.

In 1943, Lee volunteered for the United States Marine Corps. He joined the 2nd Marine Division on Tinian Island and Saipan. Lee had taken the OCS tests and was sent back to the states to go to officer training school, where he attended Oberlin College in Ohio and then the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The war ended, and he took his discharge in 1946. Lee returned to Halma and married Joydis Spilde, daughter of Leonard and Helen Spilde, in 1948, and raised their 3 children. In 1956, they moved their family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he became an iron worker, a trade he followed for a number of years. He was a master welder and could fix anything. Lee spent time working in Chicago, Superior, North Dakota, and Alaska and was Steel Superintendent on the building of the Drayton Sugar Beet Plant. Lee became Postmaster of Halma in 1965, a position he held until retiring in 1990. He and Joydis bought the Halma Hartz grocery store in 1977, and they managed that until they sold it in 2000. Lee’s real passion was farming and was never happier than being “out east” working his land. Lee was proud to go on the Honor Flight to Washington D.C. and visit the World War II Memorial.

Lee is survived by his 3 children, Jeffrey (Joyce) in Halma, MN, Corinne (Neil) Wikstrom in Walnut Creek, CA, and Leanne (Kristian) Eylands in Grand Forks, ND; 5 grandchildren, Kyle (Rachelle) Folland in Halma, MN, Niccole (Stefan) Demeyere in Pleasant Hill, CA, Jared Wikstrom (Felecia Parke) in Spokane, WA, Eric (Sarah) Eylands in Sylmar, CA, and Nathan Eylands (fiancé Anna Pirog) in St. Paul, MN; 10 great-grandchildren, Logan and Jase Folland, Weston and Keira Demeyere, Monique, Presley, Turner, and Preston Wikstrom, and Olivia and Eli Eylands; sister-in-law, Julie Spilde; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Lee was preceded in death by his wife; parents; brothers, Harold, Art, and John; sisters, Alice Williams, Agnes Jensen, and Mildred Folland; brothers-in-law, Peter Jensen, Bob Williams, Tilden, and Lorne Spilde; sisters-in-law, Ruth and Rosa Folland and Shirley Spilde; granddaughter, Lana Folland; and great-grandson, Becket Folland. 

A Memorial Service is scheduled for Friday, January 17, 2024 at 10:00 am at the Austin Funeral Chapel in Hallock, MN. Visitation will be held at the funeral home for an hour before the service. Interment will be in the Eidsvold Cemetery at a later date. In memory of Lee, donations can be made to the Eidsvold Cemetery Fund.