Harvey Hochhalter, 85, of Valley City, North Dakota, passed away on Monday, October 21, at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND, surrounded by his wife, children, and family.
A funeral service will be held in Valley City at 2:00 PM on Saturday, October 26, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Visitation will take place on Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the church. Another funeral service will be held in Lemmon, South Dakota, at 1:00 PM on Monday, October 28, with visitation one hour prior at Evanson Jensen Funeral Home, followed by burial at Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon.
Harvey Lee Hochhalter was born to Theodore and Bertha Hochhalter on August 12, 1939, in Yakima, WA. His parents had temporarily relocated to WA in search of employment during the Great Depression but returned to the prairies of ND to farm and be near family in the spring of 1940. Harvey attended a one-room country school through 8th grade and graduated from Lemmon High School in 1957. He attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, SD, for one year, studying engineering, before returning to farm with his father. He then began working at First National Bank in Lemmon, SD.
Harvey married his high school sweetheart, Carol Ann Hagen, on June 25, 1961. For their honeymoon, they drove their new Mercury on a trip of a lifetime to Niagara Falls, New York City, and Washington, D.C. The two-week trip cost $641.00.
In January 1963, they moved to Cooperstown, ND, where Harvey worked as an Insurance Agency Manager and Assistant Cashier at First State Bank. In October 1973, he transferred to Valley City and served as Assistant Vice President and Insurance Agency Manager at First National Bank, including a brief period managing insurance agencies in Litchville and Casselton. Over the years, he received several awards for his accomplishments in insurance, including serving as state president of the Independent Insurance Agents of ND. In 2002, he retired after 42 years in banking and insurance sales.
Harvey was active in the community and belonged to many organizations, serving in various positions, including as President of the Jaycees, a member of the Eagles for 49 years, and a member of Kiwanis for 41 years. He was also involved with the Elks, the Barnes County Museum Board for 6 years, and supported VCSU’s V-500 Scholarship Program. He sang with The Valley Troubadours for 41 years. In 2023, he served as the Parade Marshall for the Valley City Community Days Parade and received the Chamber of Commerce Hi-Line Award for decades of outstanding community service.
Over the years, his activities included obtaining his pilot’s license and becoming a part owner of a Piper plane, joining a bowling league, serving on the church council, and participating in his sons’ Boy Scouts. He learned to golf and was passionate about the game for over 50 years, even experiencing the satisfaction of a hole-in-one in 1996. Harvey and Carol enjoyed fishing and camping with friends.
Harvey and Carol took trips with their children to the East and West coasts, Disney World, Niagara Falls, Washington, D.C., several national parks, and skiing in Montana and Colorado. For their 50th anniversary, they traveled to Alaska, fulfilling their goal of visiting all 50 states. They also toured internationally, enjoying a riverboat cruise on the Danube through six countries, as well as trips to Switzerland, Jamaica, Ireland, Mexico, and Canada, including a trip to connect with Carol’s relatives in Norway.
Harvey cherished his grandchildren, attending their sporting events, band and choir concerts, dance performances, and plays. His grandsons rekindled his love of hunting and fishing during his retirement.
Harvey’s solid Christian faith guided him with integrity and a generous spirit. Growing up on a farm, he developed a “fix anything” attitude and was always willing to help his children with their projects well into their adulthood. He will be remembered for his good-natured humor and gentle soul and will be sorely missed.
He is preceded in death by his family, including Theodore Hochhalter, Bertha Hochhalter, and his brother, Lane Hochhalter. He is survived by his wife, Carol; children, Deanna (Hal) Weiser, David (Diane) Hochhalter, and Scott Hochhalter (Kevin Hemping); and grandchildren, Landon Weiser, Carter (Danika) Weiser, Theodore, Leah, and August Hochhalter.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Oliver-Nathan Funeral Chapel in Valley City. An online guestbook and full obituary are available at www.olivernathanchapel.com. Assisting the family in Lemmon is Evanson Jensen Funeral Home at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com.