Harold Brutlag, Maple Lake

Harold Delbert Brutlag, 92, died January 28 at home following complications from Melanoma.

Harold was born October 31, 1932 at Henning, Minnesota, the third child of Albert and Margaret Brutlag. He was baptized as an infant at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Henning. He was confirmed by Pastor R.L. Bode at the same church in 1946. He graduated from Henning High School with the class of 1950. He was married to Janis M. Wieck, an elementary school teacher at Maple Lake on February 6, 1970 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Buffalo. A daughter, Anna Marie, was born on February 3, 1976.

Harold grew up on dairy farms in the Henning area with his parents, two sisters Elaine and Caryl; and three brothers Lloyd, Marlin and Charles. Following high school he spent several years working in the Henning area and joined the U.S. Army on July 1954, volunteering for the draft. His next two years were spent in Missouri and Inchon, Korea where he worked in the 8132nd Army Unit’s legal office as a clerk-typist and inspector of damage caused to ships while unloading off-shore. He was discharged in 1956 as a Spec. 4(T) at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

Harold began his life-long trade as a printer in Henning working at the Henning Advocate under the G.I. Bill’s On the Job Training Program in 1956. He was also employed at the Long Prairie Leader and the Howard Lake Herald before locating in Maple Lake in 1966 where he worked for Les Nelson’s Maple Lake Messenger. He purchased the weekly newspaper from Nelson in 1968 and continued as publisher until 2000 when he sold the newspaper and print shop to Theresa and Douglas Andrus of Maple Lake.

As was true with many businesses during that time period changes came rapidly, especially in technology used to publish newspapers. When he entered the printing trade it was predominantly a hot metal or a letterpress operation. That gave way to lithography in the early 70’s and composition changed from linotypes to various types of machines that were the forerunners of the modern-day computers for news stories and to prepare advertising copy. Computers, coupled with four color copying machines, provided another form of printing although the newspapers still are printed lithographically on large presses.

He enjoyed his wife and daughter and the support they gave him during his newspaper career and his retirement when he continued to assist Theresa Andrus and later, Ed and Michele Pawlenty, with a weekly column “Brute’s Bleat”.

Harold was a charter member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church and he was on the first board of directors for the Maple Lake Community Cemetery. He was a member of the American Legion Post #131 and participated with the Post’s Color Guard. He was also a member of the VFW Post #7664. His volunteerism included being a member of the Maple Lake Fire Department and a board member of the Maple Lake Housing Development Association, serving several terms. He was named one of the two Wright County’s Outstanding Senior Citizens in 2009. He was recognized on January 28, 2011 by the Minnesota Newspaper Association for 50 years of participation in the printing and publishing business.

Harold always said he never minded going to work and rarely missed a day unless it happened to be the opening of Spring Walleye fishing season or the beginning of the upland bird seasons in the Fall. He enjoyed his annual trips to the Northwest Angle to fish on Lake of the Woods in the company of family, friends and brothers. He was introduced to the Northwest Angle by Janis’ father, Henry Wieck, who had been in the habit of making annual trips there. His upland game hunting began with ruffed grouse and pheasants during his youth at Henning where he also enjoyed hunting deer. His Maple Lake hunting friends convinced him to get a hunting dog, something he did after he noticed they were getting more shooting with their dogs. His first two dogs were Springer Spaniels and then he chose English Setters for his senior years. All four were cherished by the whole family and became house dogs. He also enjoyed golf and played in leagues at Cokato, Monticello and Annandale’s Whispering Pines. Watching the Maple Lake Lakers baseball team over the years was also a favorite past-time.

Besides his wife and daughter Harold is survived by his sisters Elaine Hagenmueller, Marengo, IL; Caryl (Donald Dreyer), Ottertail; Brother Marlin (Sister-in-law Carol Brutlag), Ottertail; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; Brother Lloyd, Ottertail; and Sister-in-law Judy Wieck Ford, Detroit Lakes.

A visitation will be held at Washburn-McReavy in Hopkins at a future date. That information will be provided in a later edition of the Maple Lake Messenger.