Harry James Haselius

Harry James Haselius was born on May 13, 1940, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Harry W. Haselius and Marceille "Peggy" (Okerstrom) Haselius. His early years were marked by the strong influence of his father, a skilled carpenter who embodied the post-war tradition of hands-on craftsmanship and self-reliance. When Harry was six years old, the family relocated north to Federal Dam, Minnesota, a small railroad town nestled in the Chippewa National Forest on the Leech Lake River. This two-year sojourn in the northern Minnesota wilderness exposed young Harry to the recreational opportunities that would shape his lifelong love of fishing, hunting, and outdoor pursuits.

In 1948, the Haselius family returned to the Twin Cities, where Harry Sr. undertook an ambitious project that would profoundly influence his son's future. In Mounds View, an emerging suburban community, Harry's father purchased ten acres of land and designed and constructed the family home himself. This project represented more than mere housing construction; it embodied the post-war American dream of skilled craftspeople creating their own suburban homesteads. Young Harry observed every aspect of this undertaking, from architectural planning to material procurement to the actual construction process, gaining an early education in building principles that would prove invaluable throughout his life.

Harry attended Mounds View High School, graduating with the Class of 1958. His graduation placed him among the early alumni of this newly established institution, which had opened in 1954 and produced its first graduating class in 1956. After high school, Harry enrolled at the University of Minnesota but found that traditional academic education did not align with his interests and aptitudes. After one year, he made the pivotal decision to pursue vocational training, enrolling in the electrical construction program at Dunwoody Institute.

Dunwoody Institute, a prestigious Minneapolis-based technical school founded in 1914, provided Harry with the comprehensive training that would define his professional identity. The two-year electrical construction program combined rigorous classroom instruction in electrical theory, safety protocols, and code compliance with extensive hands-on training in commercial and industrial electrical systems. Harry graduated in 1961, emerging as a skilled tradesman ready to enter Minnesota's expanding construction industry.

Upon graduation, Harry began his career with Weber Electric, a Minneapolis-based commercial electrical contracting firm specializing in electrical services for the Twin Cities metropolitan area. This employment positioned him within the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 110, which had been chartered on July 29, 1912, in St. Paul. His decision to work as a union electrician provided him with standardized wages, comprehensive benefits, and the security of collective representation throughout his forty-year career.

In 1962, Harry met Esther Michaelson at a wedding ceremony, beginning a courtship that would lead to a marriage spanning nearly sixty years. They married on June 18, 1966, at East Balsam Baptist Church in Balsam Lake, Wisconsin. This historic congregation, founded on October 9, 1904, by twenty Swedish immigrant families, provided a meaningful setting that reflected the couple's Scandinavian heritage.

The newlyweds initially established their home in New Brighton, Minnesota, but their vision extended beyond suburban conformity. In approximately 1969, Harry and Esther purchased ten acres near Lindstrom, Minnesota, in the heart of the historic Chisago Lakes region. Here, Harry undertook a project that directly paralleled his father's earlier achievement: he designed and constructed the family home himself, serving simultaneously as architect, general contractor, electrician, and laborer. His approach included "material scavenging," the practice of locating and acquiring reclaimed building materials, demonstrating both resourcefulness and environmental consciousness ahead of his time.

Harry and Esther raised four children on their Lindstrom property: Kevin (who married Tracy and had children Kaitlyn, Erik, and Jason), Brian (who married Tina and had children Hillary, Adam, and Tyler), Mark (who married Allison and had children Ethan, Heather, and Heidi), and Nancy. The ten-acre homestead served as the gathering place for large family celebrations, where multiple generations assembled for holidays, reunions, and seasonal festivities. Harry's property management included extensive outdoor spaces that accommodated his diverse recreational interests and provided ample room for children and grandchildren to explore and play.

Throughout his professional career with Weber Electric, Harry distinguished himself as a skilled commercial electrician, contributing to the electrical infrastructure development of the Twin Cities during a period of substantial growth. His work spanned office buildings, manufacturing facilities, retail establishments, and institutional structures throughout the metropolitan area. His expertise in commercial electrical systems, combined with his union membership in IBEW Local 110, ensured steady employment and financial security for his growing family.

Harry's spiritual journey began with his baptism as a believer in Jesus Christ at age eighteen, coinciding with his high school graduation in 1958. This early profession of faith deepened throughout his adult life, culminating in his family's involvement as founding charter members of Lakes Free Church in Lindstrom, established in 1985. His participation in this church planting effort extended far beyond attendance; he volunteered countless hours of labor, applying his electrical and construction skills to develop the physical infrastructure of the new congregation.

Harry's faith commitment found expression through extensive mission service across multiple continents. His mission trips included destinations in Montana, New Orleans (likely Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts), Venezuela, China, Thailand, and four separate trips to Guatemala. These international service projects combined his practical skills with his spiritual convictions, allowing him to contribute construction and electrical expertise to communities in need while sharing his Christian faith.

Beyond his professional and spiritual commitments, Harry cultivated an impressive array of personal interests and hobbies. He was a serious coin collector, pursuing numismatics with the analytical precision that characterized his approach to other pursuits. His treasure hunting expeditions with a metal detector combined outdoor exploration with the possibility of historical discovery. His involvement with Boy Scouts demonstrated his commitment to youth mentorship and outdoor education, transmitting his own practical skills and outdoor knowledge to younger generations.

Harry's recreational pursuits included camping, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, activities that connected him with Minnesota's abundant natural resources. His childhood exposure to Federal Dam and the Leech Lake region, renowned for its perch, walleye, and musky fishing, likely influenced his lifelong appreciation for angling and outdoor recreation. Additionally, Harry restored several vintage automobiles, projects that demanded mechanical expertise, attention to detail, and appreciation for automotive craftsmanship.

After forty years of dedicated service as a commercial union electrician, Harry retired from Weber Electric in 2001 at age sixty-one. His retirement provided opportunities to intensify his mission work, spend additional time with his expanding family of grandchildren, and pursue his diverse hobbies and interests. The IBEW pension system, funded through decades of employer contributions, provided financial security that allowed him to retire comfortably while remaining active in community and church activities.

Harry's later years were marked by continued engagement with family, faith, and community. He remained on the Lindstrom property he had designed and built for fifty-seven years, from 1969 until 2026. This exceptionally long tenure reflected both his satisfaction with the home he had created and his deep roots within the Chisago Lakes community. His property continued to serve as the gathering place for family celebrations, where children, grandchildren, and extended family assembled for holidays and reunions.

In 2026, recognizing the needs of advanced age, Harry transitioned to Point Pleasant Heights, a senior living facility in Chisago City, Minnesota. This lakefront facility allowed him to remain within the geographic community where he had spent the majority of his adult life while receiving appropriate supportive care. Harry passed away peacefully on March 31, 2026, at age eighty-five, surrounded by the love of his family and the satisfaction of a life well-lived.

Harry was preceded in death by his parents and his younger siblings Thomas, who died in 2016, and Lois (Pischke), who passed away in October 2025. He was survived by Esther, his beloved wife of nearly sixty years; his four children and their spouses; nine grandchildren; and numerous extended family members. In lieu of flowers, the family requested donations to Compassion International and Youth Haven, organizations reflecting Harry's lifelong commitment to youth welfare and Christian ministry.

A Celebration of Life service was held on April 9, 2026, at Lakes Free Church in Lindstrom, the congregation Harry had helped establish four decades earlier. The service provided an opportunity for family, friends, and fellow church members to honor his memory and celebrate his contributions to their community. Harry's burial at Kost Cemetery occurred at a later date, providing a final resting place within the region he had called home for over half a century.