Ralph "Bud" Holmlund

            Ralph Leonard “Bud” Holmlund, 87, passed away Sunday, August 21, 2016 at the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital in Hamilton, MT., following a brief illness.  He was born in Miles City, MT on April 19, 1929 to the late Ralph Walter and Helen Marie Anderson Holmlund.

            He grew up on the homestead of his dad’s parents, Oscar and Oline Holmlund, who emigrated from Norway in 1906 and homesteaded 320 acres in 1913 northwest of Miles City in the Angela and Rock Springs area.

            “Bud” Holmlund attended grade school in Rosebud County, graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City, Montana in 1947 and after attending Custer County Junior College briefly, he enrolled at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in 1950.

            In 1951, his family moved from Eastern Montana to Hamilton in the Bitterroot Valley after which “Bud” transferred to the University of Montana at Missoula.  After one year at the University of Montana, Ralph was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War.  He served a two year tour of duty in the Western Pacific on the island of Okinawa.  He returned to Concordia College and graduated in 1956.

            Ralph married the love of his life Charlotte “Chucky” Gjerstad in June 1958 in Erskine, Minnesota and they had two children, Randey and Karyn.

            After graduating from Luther Northwestern Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1960, Ralph was ordained into the Lutheran Ministry.  From 1960 to 1994, he served parishes across South Dakota (Prairie City, Midland, Bridgewater, Wilmot and Java) and concluded his ministry at Faith Lutheran in Hamilton, MT.

            Ralph was active in the ministry of Faith Lutheran Church in Hamilton and celebrated his Norwegian heritage through the local Sons of Norway group.  He loved his family, was especially proud of his three grandsons, and enjoyed being out if God’s creation whether camping, hiking, bicycling or skiing.

            Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Helen Holmlund, his brother Roy Holmlund and his wife Charlotte.

            Ralph is survived by his son, Randey (Joan) Holmlund and their son Vincent all of Fargo, ND; daughter, Karyn (Bob) Heiden and their sons, Aaron and Zach all of Bend, OR; brother, James (Carolyn) Holmlund and their family all of Billings, MT.

            Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 26th at Faith Lutheran Church in Hamilton, MT with Pastor Doug Peterson officiating.  Urn placement will take place at a later date at the Gary Cemetery in Gary, Minnesota where his wife Charlotte was laid to rest.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com

            The family suggests memorials be made to Faith Lutheran Church, 171 Lewis Lane, Hamilton, MT 59840, or to a bible camp or a Christian College of your choosing.