"Audrey was a dear, dear friend from our early childhood. I miss her already. I will share memories more privately. My love and sympathy to all the Heglands and Lemkes. "
In loving memory of
Audrey Hegland
August 6, 1942 - October 7, 2020
Audrey Joanne Hegland left us for her eternal home Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, Wisconsin, after a brief illness.
She was born August 6, 1942, to John and Ardell (Lemke) Hegland, in La Crosse. She spent her childhood on the family farm in rural Houston, Minnesota.
Audrey was a graduate of Houston High School and Winona Secretarial School. She married Stanley Woxland in 1962, and they had three children. They lived in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and then moved to Etna Green, Indiana. They were later divorced and Audrey and her children returned to her hometown, Houston, in 1975.
She worked at Western Technical College from 1976 to 2004, primarily as an administrative assistant for the Foundation and College Relations offices, then took on the role of Alumni Coordinator and was responsible for the early development of the Western Alumni Association. She retired June 2004. She was retired for three months and then decided retirement wasnʼt for her and returned to work, first for the Farm Bureau in Caledonia, Minnesota, then with the City of Houston as Deputy Clerk. She worked for the City from January 2006 to her retirement June 2019. Audrey loved the community of Houston and worked tirelessly as a fundraiser and coordinator for many projects such as the Houston Ballfields, the South Park archery range, and the Owen Onsgard Memorial Courts. Her last big project and the one closest to her heart was the Mission 66 Houston Community Playground. She loved becoming an honorary member of the HHS Class of 1966! One of her proudest moments was when she was chosen to be the Grand Marshall of the 2019 Houston Hoedown Parade.
She was a member of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston where she had served as the church council secretary and as a devoted Sunday school teacher for many years. She was a previous member of the Houston School Board and the Farm Bureau Board where she served as secretary and was currently serving on the Houston Hurricane Foundation Board as secretary.
Audrey was preceded in death by her parents and a sister-in-law Charlene Hegland. She is survived by three children; Jeanette (John) Jacobson, Mankato, Minnesota; John (Candi) Woxland of Sparta, Wisconsin; and James (Tina) Woxland of La Crescent, Minnesota; five grandchildren Matthew Jacobson, Conrad, Jack, Erik and Andrew Woxland; three step-children Bradley (Ellen) Hongerholt; Randall (Vicki) Hongerholt; both of Houston; and Stacey (Harlan) Nelson of La Crescent; seven step-grandchildren Joseph, Jacob, Joshua, and James Hongerholt; Allyssa, Rachael and Taylor Nelson. She is also survived by two brothers Paul (Marty Landry) Hegland, Duane (Eileen) Hegland, and a sister Susan (Arlin) Peterson, all of Houston; a special cousin Bryan (Debra) Hegland of Winona, Minnesota; many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Audrey was a strong Christian woman and didnʼt hesitate to share her faith with others. She truly loved people and went above and beyond to help anyone she could. Everyone she met became her friend. She was an amazing cook and baker and loved sharing this gift with others. Huge family potlucks were cherished events. She will be forever missed by her family, friends, and the Houston Community.
A drive-through visitation will be at Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Houston from 3-7 p.m. Thursday, October 15. Please enter the visitation from the north entrance of the church parking lot. The family will greet you as you drive under the awning of the church. A private family service at the church will be at 1 p.m. on Friday the 16th followed by burial at the Stone Church Cemetery, rural Houston. The funeral will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/Cross-of-Christ-Lutheran-Church-152900184724030/ and the service bulletin for Audrey's funeral will be available on the church website at www.crossofchristhouston.org .
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to WTC for the Audrey Hegland Endowed Scholarship. Checks would be written to Western Technical College Foundation; 400 7th St N; La Crosse WI 54601 or an online donation can be made at https://westerntc.edu/foundation. Indicate in the comments section or on the memo line "in memory of Audrey Hegland." Memorials could also be given to the Houston High School Hurricane Foundation; PO Box 655; Houston MN 55943. Please leave a memory of Audrey and sign her online guestbook at www.hofffuneral.com. Hoff Funeral and Cremation Service - Houston is assisting Audrey's family with arrangements.
Tributes
"God sends us people who have to pack lots in while they are here on earth. Audrey was one of those people. She was beautiful inside and out, gave her time, talents, love, and energy to many, and left a legacy that we all could aspire to. I am a member of the Class of \'66 and know that her skills and cheerleading of the Mission 66 Playground in the Houston City Park are one of the reasons it exists today for the children of Houston and surrounding areas. My sincere condolences to Audrey\'s family and close friends. She will be missed by many. Blessings and prayers for all, Julie Thompson Hakes"
"My thoughts and prayers are with Audrey\'s family. She was such a kind person. I enjoyed talking to her at City Hall. She would always say \"I better let you go\" and then we would chat for another 15 to 20 minutes (kind of like my Norwegian family when we are trying to say goodbye). I will surely miss seeing her when I took walks by her house, and seeing her out in the community. "
"Audrey will be missed by all her HHS classmates of 1960 "
"I have been struggling with what to write in tribute to you Audrey. I cannot come up with anything that would convey our love for you. I look outside today at the bright sunshine and think of the sparkle in your eyes and the warmth that you always gave to others. I wonder now what Rick will do that he doesn\'t have you as his fall back wife? We can\'t be there today for your visitation but know that we are there in our hearts. "
"A hug from Audrey was like a sunny spring day...she warmed your soul and made you feel like everything was going to be all right. I?m going to miss those hugs and cherish the memory of each one. "
"Audrey...there simply are no words that mean enough to express the lady you were to so many people but three words that you gave a new meaning too were grace, selflessness, and love. You were and will always be one of the angels that the Good Lord let walk around this Earth so all of us could become better just by being around you. You are awesome and my family and I send our love to your family...God Bless. You are missed.."
"From both Caroljean and John - From Caroljean: There aren\'t specific memories I can dig up regarding Audrey Hegland. She was enough younger than I, that I remember her as a sweet little girl, lifelong friend of Lorna\' s. Heglands figured in our lives in many ways; Kenny and Dillon were friends and Kenny lived with John and Ardell, and went to school in Houston. I remember over heated very serious discussions and disappointment that the war had ended before Kenny and Dillon could enlist. Ken and my friend Sue Halverson married. I remember John and Ken had a brother, Donald, who died as the result of a crash on one of the Route U.S. 16 bridges between Houston and Rushford. From John: Heglands and Hempsteads had many interactions when Audrey was growing up. Kenny and Dillon bought a motorcycle together. Kenny rode it to the farm once in a while. Dad would not let Dillon buy a cycle because he thought they were too dangerous. So Dillon paid most of the cost of the cycle, but it was registered in Kenny\'s name.They raced the cycle and had lots of adventures that Dillon told me about. Audrey would have been only two years old when Kenny started living with Jack and Ardell at the farm and only eight soon after he graduated. But she would have memories she could share about his living there. Jack\'s sister Carol Hegland married Bob Haralson. After WWII Bob was hired by Orson to work on the farm. He and Carol and their family, mostly boys as I remember, moved to another house on the farm near the main house and the Hegland house. Bob had many stories of fighting in the Pacific. Haralsons stayed on at the main farm and later moved to the Wheaton farm in Crystal Valley before moving back to Bob\'s home area inTexas in the 1950s."
"It\'s very hard to leave one memory, Audrey was such a special lady, she was a great friend and neighbor. Rest in Peace Audrey, everyone is waiting for you, will see you later. Kay & Arvid Nelson"
"I recall walking past Audrey\'s house to and from my treks to Valley View to visit my parents. She would make it a point to come out and talk and inquire about my parents, she did this more than once each day.The last time I saw her was the middle of September. We also worked with her on the Mission 66 project and City of Houston business. She was always cheerful and helpful, truly a beautiful lady."
"Audrey was one of a kind. I will miss her dearly. She was kind, generous and an inspiration to so many people. My sympathies to her entire family and the Houston community. She will always have a place in my heart. "
"It was such a pleasure working with Audrey for over 3 years on the Mission 66 playground project. Without her, it would not have happened. Homemade cookies and bars at every meeting! Her passion for people and Houston was evident in her many accomplishments over the years. My sincere condolences to Audrey?s family and to Houston."
"Audrey Hegland?s grandfather Thor visited Orson Hempstead early in 1943. The Hegland farm was not big enough for his son John to get an Ag deferment from the draft, but Orson?s farm did qualify. Thor asked Orson if he would take John, known as Jack, as a hired man. Orson was delighted with the prospect of having Jack work on the farm. Orson?s older daughter Caroljean recalled that Thor was interested in having Jack learn farming from Orson, who had attended Ag college and was an innovative farmer. Early in March 1943 Jack Hegland visited Orson. They soon reached an agreement: Orson had nearly finished construction of an ?office building? for his seed business. A kitchen would be added and it would be converted to a home for Jack, his wife Ardelle and his new daughter Audrey. They would move in as soon as the kitchen was finished. Caroljean related that they then looked out and saw Ardelle and her eight month old baby sitting in the car. They quickly invited her in from the cold car to warm up, and that was the first meeting of Audrey with the Hempsteads. A few weeks later Heglands moved into their new home. Soon Jack planted his first crop of seed corn with horses. Jack also planted seed corn for Orson was in 1950, the last time corn was planted with horses on the Hempstead farm. For seven years Heglands were an integral part of life on the Hempstead farm. In 1950 Thor retired and Jack and his family moved to farm on the home farm. The family had grown During that time with the addition of Paul. Another daughter, Susan, and son, Duane, were born after the family moved to the farm in Storer valley. Lorna Hempstead was born in 1944. She and Audrey were intimate childhood friends during their early years and they have been lifelong friends ever since. Lorna is taking the loss of Audrey with great sadness. Every time Lorna came to visit her brother John in La Crosse, she would eagerly spend time with best friend Audrey. She would not let John go with her so that she would have ?Audrey time? to herself. John, four years older, considered Audrey to be one of his younger sisters as Lorna and Audrey were together much of the time. After moving to La Crosse in 1990 John and Marilyn Hempstead enjoyed visits with Audrey and were proud to learn that Audrey had become a pillar of the Houston community. One early memory of Audrey was the time she fell and broke her nose. Of course, blood gushed from her nose and she cried until Jack picked her up. She quit crying when he took her to the house and cleaned her up. The nose was crooked so Jack took it with his fingers and wiggled it around until it was back in place. Jack said, ?There, good as new.? Audrey said it hurt like everything, but she didn?t dare cry with her Dad working on her. She never did see a doctor about it. Audrey has been a friend to many in the Houston community and much more widely. With sadness and also with Joy for a life well lived, we join in the celebration of Audrey?s life. "