By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
A Moment in Time will be spent together during Farm and City Day’s weekend to honor Rodney Hatle.
The Star Eagle writer, contributor, and for a brief time, editor, Rodney Hatle passed away last year. Rodney was a seasoned journalist, teacher, sports enthusiast and friend to anyone he met. His collections of history, including pictures, binders, and much more will be on display and available gratis, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. July 10, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 11 at the New Richland Historical Society building located on Main Street. Food and beverages will not be allowed inside during the event in order to prevent possible spills or perspiration on any delicate papers or other items.
Carolyn Hatle, Rod’s wife, who first knew Rodney by his three letter nickname, had the idea to give away some of her husband’s works and collection when the Steele County VFW told her they were going to fly a flag over the Steele County Courthouse to honor Rodney.
“Someone from the VFW gave me the idea, and we went from there,” Carolyn said. “I’d like to thank Pam Goehrig and Barb Wildgrube for helping put on and sponsor this event. They’ll be the caretakers from now on.
“Sometimes I go through so much stuff that I just have to set it aside and let my eyes rest.”
The Hatle home was, and still is, filled with history. Hundreds, probably thousands of pictures, news clippings, all assorted and organized in binders and boxes, once encapsulated much of the entire three room basement of their home. After much work, Carolyn has handpicked the best items and hopes to give back some of these pieces of local history to interested persons.
Let us, or rather Carolyn, tell Rod’s story.
Rodney grew up in New Richland, Minnesota and graduated from NR High school in 1953. Directly out of highschool, Rod joined the army as a paratrooper. “I always admired someone who would willingly jump out of a plane when he didn't have to,” said Carolyn regarding one of Rodney’s former students who spoke glowingly about him.
After Rod passed away, Carolyn said she received multiple letters from former students and described one such letter.
“Rodney called a kid in to come in after class one day,” Carolyn went on. “The kid went in. Rod told him, ‘This is a good paper. It’s worth a B. But there are things you can do better.’ The kid said, ‘I went home and rewrote it and understood what he said. And then I got A’s from then on.’
“He had certain rules and he expected his students to follow them,” Carolyn said. “And when they did, they did well.
“Rodney took time to talk to his students. He cared.”
After his time in the service, Rodney went to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where he graduated in 1961.
Right out of college, Rodney began teaching in Britt, Iowa, where he met his future wife, Carolyn. They married four years later, and the rest of that story, as they say, is history.
The Hatles bounced around for a while before ending up in Fairmont, Minn., where they raised two beautiful boys, John and Kelvin. Rodney taught at Fairmont for 21 years, 17 of which were spent teaching in the same building as Carolyn, who, for a long time, taught in a classroom down the hall from Rodney’s.
During his career, Rodney spent two and a half years as the sports editor for the Fairmont Sentinel and was the editor of his college newspaper, Chips. He was also in charge of the yearbook, the weekly newspaper and camera club at Mason City High School before coming to Fairmont.
When Jim Lutgens purchased the New Richland Star in 2005, Rodney was there to support him. When Lutgens suffered a stroke shortly after purchasing the paper, Rodney stepped in as the interim editor until Jim could get back on his feet. Later, in 2007, when Lutgens purchased the Ellendale Eagle and consolidated the two newspapers into the NRHEG Star Eagle, Rodney began his regular piece, Moments in Time.
“For a long time, and still, people come into the New Richland Historical Society and ask for “that history guy,” said Carolyn. “They’re asking for Rod.”
Rodney was and is loved and missed by those he touched in life. To remember and cherish him, members of the NRHEG community, and all those who knew Rod, are invited to share a Moment in Time together this July.