Michael Halpern

Michael Laden Halpern, or Mike as most people knew him, touched a lot of lives in his 71 years. He was married for 51 years to Avis Swift Halpern after they eloped to McLaughlin, S. D. , on August 1, 1957. As a father, he raised a son, Jake Halpern who now lives in Minneapolis, Minn. , and a daughter, Debora Halpern Wenger of Oxford, Miss. He also loved Deb?s husband Mitch Wenger and their son, Mike?s grandson, Jay. As a graduate of the law school at the University of North Dakota, Mike began his career with the Internal Revenue Service, but when he and his family moved to Glen Ullin, N. D. , in 1972, Mike began practicing law in the office where his father, Saul Halpern, had once worked. As an attorney, some of Mike?s accomplishments included serving as a county judge and as president of the North Dakota Council of School Attorneys. He was an investigator for the State Bar Association of North Dakota Disciplinary Board and sat as member of that board. He led multiple seminars for the Bar Association and was featured in the American Bar Journal for carrying on the tradition of the small town general practitioner. Mike often used his legal expertise to help people in the community. Frank Brown, president of the Bank of Glen Ullin, said, ?Mike was a great man. We used to joke that he didn?t have the cash register running when you were talking with him. He was about as honest an individual as you could get. ? Mike also felt a real sense of pride in the two golf courses he helped establish. Crossroads Golf Course of Glen Ullin was designed by Mike and built in 1983. Mike was also a founding partner and part owner of Hawktree Golf Club in Bismarck, N. D. Built in 2000, Golf. com calls the Hawktree course ?one of the most outstanding in the area. ? Mike?s friend and fellow attorney, Jim Coles, said Mike?s love of golf was legendary. ?Mike usually had on a golf outfit that some would consider ?loud. ? Whatever he would be wearing would be topped off with a rather jaunty hat and, of course, he usually had a cigar handy. Early on Mike and I ended up on the same team just by luck of the draw. We didn?t know each other that well so his first question was, ?How?s your game?? I?m sure Mike had visions of a trophy, and I knew that Mike had a reputation as a golf fanatic. With much trepidation, I told him that I only golfed about four times a year,? said Coles. ?Mike?s response was to bite down on his cigar, ponder the situation and then reply, ?Well, OK. ? After that we got along fine and have been friends ever since; we just never golfed together again. ?Mike took an active role in the community ? he was the Glen Ullin city attorney, served as a member of the school board and the park board. He was an active member of the Glen Ullin Fire Department and a member of the Lion?s Club for more than 36 years. Mike recently received the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award. Named for founder of the Lion?s Club, it is the organization?s highest honor and recognizes extraordinary humanitarian work. ?He?s going to be such a loss to the community; I don?t know how we?re going to replace him,? Glen Ullin mayor Betty DelaBarre said. ?My fondest memory of him was when I was first elected mayor. He had just gotten his convertible and I asked him if he would drive me in it for the Fall Festival parade. He was so pleased to do it, and then for the 125th [celebration] he did it again, as rough as he was feeling, he came with his big bag of candy and his little grandson to throw it. Mike never said no. ?Born in Duluth, Minn. , on March 25, 1937, Mike was the son of Hyman Laden and Orpha (Red) Helstein Laden Halpern Kees. He was later adopted by Saul Halpern. He is survived by his wife, children and grandson, as well as his two sisters, Gretchen Tselos of San Francisco, Calif. , and Mary Flint of Phoenix, Ariz. Mike died from cancer on December 29, 2008 in hospice care at the Knife River Care Center in Beulah, N. D. Mike had no wish for a funeral of any kind, so the family has established a scholarship fund in his name. The Halpern Scholarship will be awarded to one deserving player each year, as determined by the coaches of the Glen Ullin-Hebron Golf Team. Donations can be made to the Halpern Scholarship, c/o Frank Brown, Bank of Glen Ullin, 106 South Ave W, Glen Ullin, ND, 58631. For more information you can call the bank at 1-800-659-0928.


Burial Date: December 29, 2008
Funeral Home Glen Ullin, ND