Reuben G. Hovland was born December 5, 1907, at Rushmore, Minnesota, the son of Severine and Martha (Erstad) Hovland.

When Reuben was a small baby, the family moved to Nowlin, South Dakota, where he grew up on his parents' homestead.  He attended Pleasant View School at Nowlin and South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City.

He worked at various occupations, including mining, logging, and ranching until 1941 when he purchased his own ranch seven miles east of Milesville, South Dakota.

Reuben was united in marriage to RueAdene Kulvik on December 18, 1944.  This marriage was blessed with seven children.

Reuben raised registered horned Herefords for many years.

He was an active member of the Lutheran Church, where he was an elder for 18 years; school board treasurer for 22 years; director of South Dakota Stockgrowers Association; board member for the Milesville Hall; and was a much respected member of the community.

He retired in 1987, at which time the Hovlands moved to Custer, turning the ranch over to their sons.

Reuben was proud of his Norwegian heritage and his family.  In his later years, he enjoyed traveling and family and was an active member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church of Custer.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, RueAdene Hovland of Custer; four sons, Allen and Glen Hovland, both of Milesville, Wade Hovland and his wife, Susan, of Philip, and Vern Hovland of Dewey, South Dakota; three daughters, Ruby Pearson and her husband, Alvin, of Philip, Grade Bushall and her husband, Paul, of Elephant Butte, New Mexico, and Laura Krueger and her husband, Mike, of Custer; 16 grandchildren: Miles Hovland, Lisa Schofield, Cristi Ferguson, Balinda Kemnitz, Brian Pearson, Nicholas and Lindsay Bushall, Cassie, Joseph, Ceceil, Hannah, and William Hovland, Kris, Jake, Katie, and Ben Krueger; six great-grandchildren; a brother, Severt Hoveland of Wall; a special niece, Norma Nelson; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Reuben was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Sadie Edwards and Anna Nelson; and four brothers, Carl, Anton, John, and one brother in infancy.

A memorial is established for a 4-H Agriculture Award.

Services
Thursday, February 26, 1998
3:00 p.m.
Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
Philip, South Dakota

Officiating
Pastor Glenn Schultz

Music
Marlis Doud - Organist
Maureen Palecek - Vocalist

Ushers
Tyrone Moos - Dave Hemmingson

Active Pallbearers
Dugan Stewart - Martin Nelson
Dan Nelson - Mike Nelson
Jerry Nelson - Mark Nelson

Honoary Pallbearers
Hank Pekron - Tom Ferguson
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Masonic Cemetery
Philip, South Dakota