William Oliver Opland

Lac La Belle and Perry, Michigan

On March 4, 2012, William O. (Humpy) Opland, 94, went to be with his heavenly Father after a long battle with cancer. He was born in Duluth, Minnesota on April 15, 1917, the oldest son of William and Ingeborg Opland.

In 1930 Bill’s family moved to Calumet, MI where he was confirmed in the Norwegian Lutheran Church. He loved sports and played football, hockey, baseball and track in Calumet and was a 2-time captain of the Calumet High football team. After graduation in 1936, he moved to Detroit where he was employed with Ford Motor Company for 37 years. He met a registered nurse, Elma Harri (the love of his life), and they were married on July 4, 1942. During World War II, he served as a medic with the Army in the Aleutian Islands for 27 months. He later became a 2nd Lieutenant.

Following the war, Bill and Elma raised their family in Livonia before retiring to their cabin at Lac La Belle in the U.P. They loved hosting their grandkids at the lake by taking them fishing, berry picking and sightseeing. Bill was loved and will be greatly missed.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife Elma of 61 years; and two brothers, Robert and Kenneth. Surviving are his two sons William (Mary) of Haslett and Donald of Perry; two daughters, Ann (Cal) Fox of Holland and Carol (Ralph) Sesso of Barrington Hills, IL; 9 grandchildren, Jeff (Heather) Fox, Doug (Christen) Fox, Kristyn (Jon) Brown, Katie (Dan) Dahlke, Jon (Brie) Sesso, Jill and David Sesso and Martha and Marie Opland; 6 great-grandchildren, Lydia, Tabitha, Miriah, Raegan, Cade and Ella; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions in Bill’s memory may be made to Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, PO Box 30480, Lansing, MI 48909.

A memorial service will be held later this summer in Bill’s hometown of Calumet, Michigan. Anyone interested in sharing a thought or remembrance, or in learning the date of the memorial service, may contact Bill’s oldest son, Bill, at [email protected].