Verlyn Helder

Verlyn Russell Helder was born on May 4, 1923, in Canton, South Dakota, the son of Draper and Zona (Collins) Helder. He graduated from Canton High School; and helped his father and brother, Donald on the farm.  While they farmed they started Helder Fur Farm as they raised mink.

On May 25, 1945, Verlyn was united in marriage to Nila Knutson in Canton, the city where they had met in elementary school. The couple was blessed with two sons, Dick and Thomas.  In 1949, the family moved to Inwood, IA where they continued to farm and raise mink. The family made the big move to Brandon, MN with their mink and started raising beef cattle.  In 1987, Verlyn sold the mink business to his son, Dick, and retained the beef business until their auction in 2002.

The couple loved to travel, and over the years made it to all fifty states and all the providences of Canada. In their later years, the couple enjoyed wintering in Rockport, TX; where they spent many happy hours birdwatching. Verlyn enjoyed fishing and duck or pheasant hunting.  He was a man who could fix anything or invent something.  Verlyn started playing golf at the age of seventy-three, and even accomplished a hole-in-one.  He enjoyed serving as chairperson of the Brandon School Board in the 1960’s and felt great pride to see the new Elementary School get built.  One of his proudest moments was being able to present his sons their diplomas.

Verlyn died on May 6, 2018, at the Brandon Assisted Living in Brandon at the age of 95.  He is survived by his sons, Dick Helder, Thomas (Annette) Helder all of Brandon; grandchildren, Marie (Josh) Anderson, Daniel (Chelsea) Helder; great-grandchildren, Lauren and Greta Anderson, and Cameron and Brooks Helder.  He is preceded in death by his parents, Draper and Zona; wife, Nila; brother, Donald; and sister, Joann Oberlander.

A Funeral Service will be held 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 10, 2018, at Grace Lutheran Church in Brandon.  Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Thursday.