Richard Dean Haugen was born on November 7, 1939, in Clarkfield, Minnesota to Conrad and Perle (Anderson) Haugen. He graduated from Clarkfield High School and entered the United States Air Force in 1962 where he was stationed in Colorado, Florida, California, and his favorite location, Tucson, Arizona. He was an aircraft weapons specialist in a pilot training wing and had many stories of his time in the Air Force. In 1966 he returned to Clarkfield where he farmed and ran a dairy herd with his father and brother Roland.

Richard’s two major passions in life were working on all things mechanical and the people in his life, be they relatives or neighbors. There was not a piece of equipment or vehicle made that he could not repair and keep operational decades beyond its design life. He always had time for anyone that needed his help fixing equipment or finding parts for cars and trucks from his old vehicle collection. Among the young men he mentored were two young Colonels in the Marines and Air Force, several professionals and successful farmers. He was very good about taking care of his elderly relatives, as he was the youngest in his generation. He finished milking cows when he turned 70, “I’ve done my time” he would say, but did not sell off his dairy herd and instead they all retired together. His last two cows, Pooh Bear and Mool Deer, died in February.

Richard died on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at home on his farm in Clarkfield at the age of 86. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is preceded in death by his father and mother, as well as all his siblings, Signe, Roland, Beverly, and Lowell.

Richard is survived by his sister-in-law, Shirley Haugen; nieces, Ann Haugen, Laura Foschiatti, Jill Chappell-Zylker, Jean Stolpa, and Janice Pearson; nephews, Keith Haugen, Billy Chappell, Kurt Chappell, Christopher Chappell, Robert Chappell, Peter Olson, and John Olson.

Visitation with Richard’s family will be held on Friday, May 29, 2026, at 10 AM at Clarkfield Lutheran Church, followed by the funeral service at 11 AM. Interment with military honors will follow in the church cemetery.