Loubelle Frances Halas

Loubelle F. Halas passed away at Altru Hospital on February 18, 2024, as a result of complications associated with a fall four days earlier. Loubelle lived the last four days of her life in the ICU, with her loved ones supporting her.   She was fortunate to live more than 92 years on her own terms.  She was adamant that she remain in her own home as long as possible.  Until her fall, she lived her life as she wanted, independently, in her home, which was filled with memories that spanned nearly six decades.    

Loubelle was born in Benjamin, Texas, on May 3, 1931, and was named for her grandmothers, Lou and Belle.  She moved to Sinton, Texas, when she was six years old, along with her older brother Robert, to live with their paternal grandmother. During the Depression, times were tough for many, including Loubelle’s family.  Her Grandmother Easton lived on a farm a half-mile outside of Sinton.  Loubelle walked to school, and on most days ran home to eat lunch and would then run back to school to play volleyball before classes resumed.  

In 1949, Loubelle graduated from Sinton High School.  She was fortunate to take classes in shorthand, a lost skill in the 21st century, and typing and excel in both.  Following her graduation from high school, Loubelle worked in Sinton in the legal field for a title company and an attorney, using her shorthand and typing skills.  She developed a strong work ethic, learned to appreciate what she had, saved when possible, and understood that hard work leads to success.  

In 1951, 20-year-old Loubelle joined the U.S. Army.  She took a train from Sinton, Texas, to her basic training at Fort Lee in Virginia.  Following her basic training, Loubelle was determined to have the skills required to be assigned to her first post, without further training.  She was assigned to the Military Academy at West Point, where she worked as secretary to the Inspector General of West Point.  She held this position for her two-year stint in the military.  While serving as secretary for Lt. Col. William Gleason at West Point, she had the opportunity to meet future President Dwight Eisenhower, a classmate of her supervisor at West Point, some 30 plus years earlier.  While at West Point, she babysat for President Eisenhower’s children, David and Julie, when her supervisor and the future President went out to dinner.    

After her discharge from the U.S. Army in 1953, Loubelle enrolled at the University of Texas in Austin.  She lived in a boarding house, where she was the on-sight management representative.  Her duties included collecting the rent, addressing issues with the other “girls," and locking the doors at 10:00 pm on weeknights and at midnight on weekends.  At age 22, Loubelle was an older, more experienced student, although only a freshman.  It was at UT that Loubelle met Edward S. Halas, a UT graduate student.  They were married on October 30, 1954, beginning a long and happy union that resulted in three sons, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  

Following her marriage to Edward, Loubelle began working as a secretary in the Texas Attorney General’s Office, where she often worked doing daily transcripts for important trials.  Loubelle would sit in the courtroom during the morning and use her shorthand skills to record the daily transcript.  During the afternoon, she would then type the transcript from the morning.  By the time the Attorney General trying the case had returned to the office in the late afternoon, he would have a transcript of all the testimony from the morning.  Another secretary would record the afternoon testimony and type it during the evening.  

In 1955, Loubelle and Edward moved from Austin, Texas, to Lubbock, Texas, where Edward worked on and earned his Ph.D. in psychology.  Loubelle and Edward also spent time in Albuquerque, N.M., where Edward worked for the U.S. Air Force at a military facility.  In 1959, Edward was hired by the University of North Dakota as an associate professor in psychology, and the family moved to Grand Forks.  The family at this time also included their first son, Robert S., known as Steve, his middle name.  Sons Richard and George were born in 1960 and 1961 in Grand Forks at St. Michael’s Hospital, now known as Columbia Hall.   

Loubelle was a fulltime homemaker until 1973, when she decided to again resume college classes.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1976 from UND.  After her children were out of high school, Loubelle decided to return to the workforce and served as secretary to the City of Grand Forks Planning Department for some seven years until 1989.  

Throughout her life, Loubelle was an avid reader, who loved learning. She very much enjoyed classic authors such as Dickens and Shakespeare, as well as many contemporary authors. Despite having macular degeneration, Loubelle would arrange bright lights and use extreme magnifying glasses to continue reading the newspaper, novels, and nonfiction. She possessed a strength of spirit and fortitude that enabled her to overcome obstacles and setbacks that came her way.  Loubelle also enjoyed watching UND hockey and followed the team until her end.  

In 1992, when Edward retired from UND, he and Loubelle continued to live in Grand Forks but traveled frequently.  They particularly enjoyed the warm beaches of Hawaii, the Caribbean Islands, and Mexico during the cold North Dakota winter months. They also enjoyed visiting their grandchildren in the Kansas City area and the extended family of Steve’s in-laws. Loubelle was blessed to spend time with her two great-grandchildren on visits to Grand Forks, as recently at September, 2023.  Loubelle continued to communicate with her extended Kansas City area family up until her passing.  

Loubelle was preceded in death by her husband, Edward S. Halas, her parents Robert and Frances Easton, her brother Robert, and her middle son Richard.  She is survived by her oldest son R. Steve (Valerie), youngest son George; grandchildren Matt (Marissa) Halas and Sydney Halas; and great-grandchildren Jenny and James Halas.

Loubelle was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2021.  She was treated at Altru Hospital Cancer Center thereafter with great success.  The wonderful healthcare providers at Altru Cancer Center kept Loubelle alive and healthy.  Cancer did not take her.  The family wishes to thank Loubelle's neighbors, who did so much to help her live independently. The family also would like to thank Comfort Keepers, who worked briefly with Loubelle. Finally, the family wishes to thank the staff at Altru Hospital, who helped care for Loubelle during her last four days in the ICU, including the nurses, physicians, and housekeepers, all of whom performed their duties with the utmost kindness and compassion.     

Loubelle always valued education and, as a final contribution to science, she bequeathed her body to the UND Medical School.  Prior to her death, she made her wish known to forego a memorial service.