Lyle Allan Rich, son of Lyle E. and Bergetta Rich, was born at New Rockford, North Dakota, on July 9, 1932. Early years were spent at Luverne, North Dakota, and then the family moved to Hannaford in 1940. Other members of the family are Gene, Joan and the late Donald Rich.
The Rich family was always associated with the Great Northern Railway. Lyle E. worked for the bridge and building department; grandfather Samuel Rich served on the Great Northern at New Rockford; grandfather Andrew Midstokke was a local section foreman. During their high school years, Lyle, Gene and Don all worked for the company. Don was a welder for the Burlington Northern until his death on December 7, 1986.
Lyle attended school in Hannaford from the third grade through graduation. During his high school years he played basketball and football and worked at the mercantile, the meat market, the newspaper, and delivered the Sunday newspaper. He also enjoyed acting in high school dramas and playing clarinet in the band. He wrote, "Although I did not have many high school teachers, the ones I had were excellent and prepared me well for the future."
After graduation in 1950, he enrolled at Concordia College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in philosophy and a minor in the classical languages. After his graduation from college in 1954, he married Joan Knutson from Fertile, Minnesota, and enrolled at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, from which he received the Master of Theology degree in 1958.
He has served Lutheran parishes at Naples, South Dakota (1958-1961); Montevideo, Minnesota (1961-1964); Truman, Minnesota (1964-1976); and Benson, Minnesota (1976-1989).
Joan and Lyle have four children: Nathan, a graduate of Concordia College and the University of Minnesota School of Medicine, who is a family physician at Menomonie, Wisconsin; Naomi Rich Hall, Belle Plaine, Minnesota; Nancy Rich Biedermann, Viroqua, Wisconsin; Renee Rich, Bloomington, Indiana. The three daughters are graduates of the St. Olaf College School of Nursing.
Lyle and Joan live at 1005 Oakwood Ave., Benson, Minnesota. 56215, 612-842-3871.
Source: Hannaford Area History North Dakota Centennial 1889 - 1989 Page 226