Erling M. Helland's Obituary
The Rev. Erling M. Helland, retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, died on April 12, 2013.
He was born in Amery, Wisconsin and grew up in Luverne, Minnesota. He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific and North China with the Third Marine Division (action at Iwo Jima), the Third Amphibious Corps, and the First Marine Division.
He graduated from Augsburg College and from Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Upon call from the Board of World Mission, he studied Chinese language and culture at Cornell University and Yale University. He served in Taiwan and Hong Kong from 1954 to 1964.
Pastor Helland served parishes in Pearl City, Hawaii from 1964 to 1969, Dublin, California from 1969 to 1974, and Our Savior’s Rocky River Lutheran Church from 1975 until he retired in 1991.
He served on the board of the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Association of Greater Cleveland, the Board of Services to Adult Care Homes, and was a past president of Lutheran Agencies Organized in Service (LAOS).
Pastor Helland is survived by his wife, Dorothy; sons, John (Jennifer) of Mentor, Stephen of North Royalton, and daughter, Kari Johnston of Valley City. They have six grandchildren, Adele, Erik, Lisa, Tyler, Marshall, and Zachary. He is also survived by his sister, Florence (Dennes) Borman of Montevideo, Minnesota; sister-in-law, Ruth Helland of Eagan, Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held 2:00 P.M. Saturday, April 27, 2013 at Messiah Lutheran Church, 21485 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park. Private interment at Sunset Memorial Park. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Association of Greater Cleveland, 1468 W 25th St, Cleveland, OH 44113.
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