Lowell Hooge

Lowell Hooge, 94, of Breckenridge, MN, formerly of Wahpeton, ND passed away on Friday, April 28, 2017 at CHI St. Francis Nursing Home in Breckenridge. His funeral service will be held at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Wahpeton, with Rev. Matthew Tooman officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at Fairview Memorial Gardens, Wahpeton. Arrangements are entrusted to Vertin-Munson Funeral Home, Wahpeton.

Lowell Hooge was born on February 17, 1923 in Wahpeton to Clarence and Ida (Anderson) Hooge. He grew up in Wahpeton and graduated from Wahpeton High School in 1942. He attended North Dakota State School of Science for a short while before going to work for the Great Northern Railway Company as a switchman. Lowell enlisted in the United States army on August 17, 1944 and served his country in World War II until July 2, 1946. After he was discharged from the Army, Lowell returned to work on the railroad until his retirement.

Lowell married Leona Grohnke on May 28, 1949 in Lidgerwood, ND. Together they raised their three children in Wahpeton. Leona passed away on July 5, 1971. Lowell later married Bernice Erickson on February 15, 1990, and the couple lived on a farmstead near Neola, IA for 18 years. They later moved to Council Bluffs, IA before returning to Breckenridge, MN. Bernice passed away on January 25, 2017, and Lowell continued to live in Breckenridge until the time of his death.

Lowell is survived by his three children, Barbara (Michael) Nelson, Breckenridge, Shirley (Edwin "Nick") Schneider, New Hope, MN, and David (Lynette) Hooge, Glendale, AZ; his grandchildren, Jennifer (Scott) Biewer, Troy Nelson, Sara (Rick) Hasbargen, Eric (Jennifer) Schneider, Ryan Schneider, Erik Beutler, April (Matt) Bossert, and Anna Boyer; and 11 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his two wives, Leona and Bernice, his brother, LaVerne and sister, Opal.