Cleo Paulson

Cleo Paulson, 97, long-time Adrian farmer, passed away Monday, December 17, at St. Rose Care Center in LaMoure. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Garden, Jamestown, ND on Thursday December 20 at 12:30 pm with funeral services to follow at 2:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Adrian, ND with Pastor Thomas Puffe officiating.
Cleo Lester Paulson was born August 1, 1910 on a farm west of Adrian, to Charles C. and Marie (Bielfeldt) Paulson. The family moved to Adrian when Charles began a family business grading prairie trails into roads and selling road equipment. Later they bought a farm south of Adrian on the James River.
Cleo graduated from Adrian High School in 1928. He farmed with his brother Howard and later moved to LaMoure, working as an auto mechanic. He also did some deputy work for his dad who was then LaMoure County sheriff. In 1941 Cleo moved to Detroit and found work, but in 1942 he joined the Army. He became a platoon sergeant, training several cycles of men at Camp Robinson, Little Rock, Arkansas. He then was a supply sergeant for the 1st Army, 51st Field Hospital which followed the Allied Invasion of Normandy, tending the wounded as the men made their way into Germany. They later saw action at the Battle of the Bulge. Cleo was awarded the Bronze Star. He was discharged in October, 1945, and returned to North Dakota.
On February 1, 1946, he was married to Adeline Miller at Marion. They lived in LaMoure for a short time, and then moved to her family's farm north of Adrian. They farmed together there until 1978, when their nephews began to farm the land. They moved to Jamestown in 1993.
Cleo was a life-long member of Trinity Lutheran Church at Adrian, where he served as financial secretary for many years. He served on the Adrian Equity Elevator Board, the Saratoga Township Board, and the Marion School Board. Cleo enjoyed building and fixing things, and was an avid reader, especially of history. He played basketball and baseball in his youth, and continued to follow sports his whole life. He loved good conversation and good stories. He could talk easily to anyone, and made many friends.
He is survived by his wife, Adeline, his daughter and son-in-law, Virginia and David Anderson, Britton, SD; his grandsons Benjamin (and his wife Mindy) Anderson, Watertown, SD and Zachary Anderson, Las Vegas, NV; his great-granddaughters Kailey and Cloe; his sisters-in-law, Jeanette Paulson, Sun City, AZ and Edna Miller, Adrian; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Howard and Lester; and his sisters Louise, Vivian and Mable.