By Ryan Simonson
Contributing Writer
Rod Hildahl, a 98-year-old veteran and native of Roseau, MN, will be honored prior to the Roseau Royals’ third-round contest against the Glencoe Brewers on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Field in Hutchinson.
Hildahl served as a member of the U.S. Army Eighth Cavalry Regiment, stationed in Japan in 1945.
Born in 1927, Hildahl was raised on a farm in Roseau and volunteered for the Army after completing high school. Following his service in the Pacific, he attended Massachusetts School of Fine Arts in Boston before returning to Minneapolis, where he worked as a successful commercial artist and illustrator until his retirement.
Rod and his wife, Loretta, have been married 67 years, raised six children, and are the proud grandparents of 17 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Hildahl has continued to paint and create fine woodworking well into his 90s, sharing his unique talents with family and friends.
Hildahl and all veterans in attendance will be acknowledged prior to the scheduled 4 p.m. Class C state tournament quarterfinal game. The winner of the contest will advance to play in a Sunday semifinal in Brownton for a chance to compete for the 2025 state championship.
