Bruce Wayne Hoaglund

Bruce Wayne Hoaglund, 82, formerly of Willmar, died Tuesday, December 9th at Lakeview Hospital in Stillwater. His memorial service will be at 11:00 am, Monday, December 22nd at Salem Covenant Church in Pennock. Visitation will be 4-6:00 pm, Sunday, December 21st at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar and continue one hour prior to his service at the church. Memorials are preferred to Lake Beauty Bible Camp, Samaritan's Purse, or Hope Pregnancy Center.

Bruce's service will be Live-Streamed on the churches YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/live/44hKdnV29c8?si=eyno6QyfGcPlGd82).

Bruce Wayne Hoaglund was born on February 12, 1943, in Worthington, Minnesota. He always claimed that Abraham Lincoln was born on his birthday. Most of his childhood was spent in Mankato, MN, where he graduated from Mankato High School in 1961. He earned a degree in secondary education from Mankato State College in 1965. He met Patti Priebe at MSC Intervarsity, and they married on December 19, 1964, in Algona, Iowa. They have two children, Travis Hoaglund and Traci Hoaglund Cox.

Teaching junior high was the highlight of his job resume. Bruce taught two years in Hanska, MN; then he and Patti traveled to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho for teaching opportunities, along with enjoying the mountains of the west. Returning to Minnesota the following year, he served as a graduate assistant and furthered his education. Bruce accepted a teaching position at Willmar Junior High in 1970. He taught Communications, Reading, and Special Education over the span of 37 years. He loved 7th grade students and always said if he could do it all over again, he would be a teacher. He also taught summer and night school at the Willmar Area Vocational Technical Institute. Fellow Junior high teachers will not soon forget Bruce's retirement skits that revealed his dry sense of humor.

Faith, Family, and Friends were always Bruce's priorities. He was involved in several Evangelical Covenant Churches throughout his life, including North Mankato, Willmar, and finally, Salem Covenant Church of Pennock. He served as Church Chairman, Deacon, Sunday School teacher, and Lake Beauty Bible Committee member. When Travis and Traci were growing up, Lake Beauty was a must destination each summer to attend July 4th family camp. He and Patti had an opportunity to chaperone a mission trip to Ecuador with Bright Expectations singing group in 1971. This trip was life-changing; Bruce's gratitude for living in the United States led to always flying the US flag outside his home and never missing an opportunity to thank police officers or those people who served in the military for their service. Bruce would be quick to tell you his faith was built on the promise of John 3:16.

Bruce loved the outdoors, and he especially enjoyed fishing and hunting. He had many opportunities through the years to fish the area lakes and also travel to Montana and Canada with family and friends. After retirement, he served as an area fishing guide for 7 years, leading over 130 guide trips. He enjoyed being part of a local Bass League and was a member and past president of Little Crow Anglers. West Central Bassmasters and the Little Crow Anglers Youth Fishing Clinic were an important part of his past. He loved watching young people and the not so young get excited about fishing. Fellowship in the boat was a bonus.

Other interests included raising and showing fancy pigeons. He proudly displayed trophies representing his successes. He was a bird watcher and especially appreciated preparing Purple Martin houses and watching them from his lounge chair on the front porch. He collected wooden duck decoys and served as a board member of MN Decoy Collectors Association for 26 years. Participating in Prairie Pothole for 34 years, displaying and offering education about ducks and decoys to visitors brought him much satisfaction. He loved to go cruising with Patti in his 56 Chevrolet to car shows and just to take a ride on a beautiful day.

His grandchildren, Charlie, Hank, Nelson, Molli, and Kenzi, were his pride and joy. They enjoyed boat rides and fishing expeditions together. His first question when talking to Travis and Traci on the phone was, "How are the kids?" He served as his grandchildren's Santa Claus each year as they were growing up; he also traveled around the Willmar area, bringing smiles to other children and adults every Christmas Eve for 27 years. Donning his Santa suit was a source of joy for him. Bruce never confused Santa Claus with the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of Jesus, his death and resurrection. Real joy was receiving Jesus Christ as his personal savior and knowing all his family had made that same commitment, assuring spending eternity together.

Due to his Parkinson's disease, Bruce and Patti relocated to Lake Elmo, MN, in 2024 to be closer to their children.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patti; children, Travis (Kristin) and Traci (Nate); grandchildren, Charlie (Erin) and Hank (Dani) Hoaglund, Nelson, Molli and Kenzi Cox; great-granddaughter, Annie Hoaglund; and Bruce's only sibling, Mary (Oscar) Overcash.