MCHF & WHC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE 2015

Robert Anderson "Bob" Haugland (1931 – 2004)

Bob was born in Glendive, Montana, Dawson County, May 6, 1931, the fifth of six children to Peter Jens Haugland and Alma (Anderson) Haugland. Peter immigrated from Norway and Alma from Sweden. The family lived between Glendive and Wibaux, and Bob and his siblings went to school at Haugland School.

During Bob’s early years, he helped with the livestock by riding a bunch of horses, raising cattle, and his least favorite chore, herding sheep, in eastern Montana. Herding sheep was not his favorite chore. Bob’s mother passed away when he was seven years old. In the years following, his dad married the Haugland School teacher, Sybil Clark. They purchased land and moved the family to greener pastures in the Springhill area near Bozeman in 1945. The current Springhill Pavilion was at that time a grain storage facility and known as the Springhill Pavilion Ranch.

After completing the eighth grade, Bob decided to forego his high school education and go to work for neighbors operating Cats, plowing roads and other farm and ranch jobs to help the family out. On a blind date set up by some friends, he met Arlene Keltz who already had her eye on Bob. Two weeks after she graduated from Belgrade High School, the couple married on June 6, 1954.

After buying the home ranch in 1957 on what is now called Biggs Haugland Road, three children were born and raised on the ranch, Vickie Lynn, William Robert, and Debbie Ann. Under Bob’s direction, the family worked the ranch and other leased places, raising cattle and good using performance horses.

Bob enjoyed rodeo and helped start the Montana Amateur Rodeo Association in 1952. Soon after he and Arlene were married, she got the rodeo bug. They spent weekends competing in Montana Amateur Rodeo Association and Montana Rodeo Association, as well as open rodeos. With two go rounds at most rodeos, requiring an overnight stay, Bob made a stock rack for the back of the pickup, loaded up the horse for Arlene to barrel race, and flipped the rack over to sleep under at night. Bob competed in the dogging, ending up as runner-up champion to Benny Reynolds. That summer, Bob broke his leg in the wild horse race. Because the leg wasn’t healing well, the doctor discovered Bob had diabetes and advised him to quit rodeo competition.

Yet, rodeo continued to be a big part of Bob’s life. He served as roping chute director at the Three Forks rodeo for several years, he was instrumental in starting the Montana Junior Rodeo Association as well as running some of those rodeos and keeping the association going for several years. Bob served 25 years as District #4 High School Rodeo director and 10 years as a State and National High School Rodeo Association director. He always told me he loved helping the kids out.

Bob became involved in many activities in the Pass Creek community, Gallatin County, and Montana. He was elected to the Pass Creek School board while his children were attending the first through eighth grades there and retained that position until his grandkids attended the school about 30 years later.

He was one of three men who started the Gallatin Beef Producers and served as president. The Beef Producers built and maintained a sorting and certified weighing facility near Belgrade for a multitude of community producers' use. Bob remained active in the organization until his death. He was a member of the Montana Beef Producers Association, too.

Bob was very proud of being selected as the Outstanding Beef Producer of the Gallatin Valley Beef Producers in 1989 and the Senior Farmer Rancher of the Year in Gallatin County in 2004. One of his last community projects was establishing the Pass Creek Community Center just before his passing. He donated endless hours getting a land donation for the Center site, helping with building design, and all other aspects of developing the Center. The Community Center has provided a nice gathering place for many activities and for folks all over the Gallatin County. Bob loved helping his neighbors out especially during cattle work, usually taking one of the kids or grandkids along to lend a hand.

Bob passed away on December 31, 2004, in Bozeman Deaconess Hospital after spending a long day helping gather a neighbor’s cattle out of the hills. Very appropriately, he was buried at Morgan Cemetery, in the Pass Creek area, which overlooks the ranch and the Gallatin Valley. At the burial service, his horse was tied to a tree all saddled for Bob's trip to heaven.

Source:

Bob Haugland Family Memories.