Myrtle Helgeland, 84, died Thursday, August 23, 2007 at Northwest Medical Center, Thief River Falls, MN.

Funeral service will be 10:30 AM, Tuesday, August 28, 2007 at Bethany Lutheran Church, rural Thief River Falls, MN with Reverend Robert Dahlen officiating. Burial will be at Bethany Cemetery, rural Thief River Falls.

Visitation will be 4 " 7 PM, Monday, August 27, 2007 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls with a 6:30 PM prayer service and for one hour prior to service at the church, Tuesday.

Myrtle Selma Anderson was born January 8, 1923 in Cloverleaf Township, Pennington County, MN the daughter of Iver and Inga (Sletten) Anderson. She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith.

She was united in marriage to Jesse Hawk. The couple had 3 sons: Dewayne, Richard and Allen. Following Jesse's death, Myrtle married Francis Helgeland in 1951 at Thief River Falls.

Myrtle was employed at Joppru's, Thief River Falls for 20 years and commented many times on the lasting friendships she made. She had a lot of fond memories of everyone there. During this time, she was also a full time farm wife, helping with everything, from putting up hay to feeding the livestock. She even raked hay with a team of horses and put up the hay with a stacker.

She loved cooking and was very creative with meals. Myrtle could turn just about anything into a delicious meal. After her husband Frank died, her dog "Toby" was her constant companion and friend for many years and she missed him dearly when he passed away. For the past few years, she had lived at Valley Home and valued the special friendships made there.

Myrtle is survived by sons: Dewayne (Virginia) Hawk, Rock Island, IL, Richard (Roanne "Cookie") Hawk, Thief River Falls, MN and Allen (Darla) Hawk, Thief River Falls, MN and Michael (Marilyn) Helgeland, Thief River Falls, MN; 12 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; 3 sisters: Thelma Feragen, Thief River Falls, MN, Stella Nesland, Thief River Falls, MN and Ovedia Stratton, Grygla, MN.

She was preceded in death by 1st husband, Jesse and 2nd husband, Francis on December 3, 1988; parents; a sister, Alva Anderson and 3 brothers, LeRoy, Melford and Alvin.