Morrell Ethan Lien, 96, Twin Valley, died Friday, Jan. 19th at the Sanford Medical Center in West Fargo due to complications from a recent surgery.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 22nd in Zion Lutheran Church with the Rev. Robert Miner officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.

Final military rites will be conducted by members of the Nesseth-Lien Post 431 of the American Legion and the Flom-Twin Valley VFW Post 3818.

A short Masonic Service will be given by the Moorhead Masonic Lodge 126 following the funeral service.

Interment will be in Zion Lutheran Cemetery.

Mr.?Lien was born in?Wild Rice Township, Norman County, March 17, 1921, to Emil J. and Marie (Qual) Lien.

He graduated at Twin Valley with the class of 1939. He worked Saturdays at the Twin Valley Times during his senior year in high school. He then was employed at the Platteville (Wis.) Journal until August of 1942 when he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard.

During WWII he had 28 months sea duty serving aboard the USS Grand Forks (PF11) in the Pacific and the USS Van Buren (PF42) in the Pacific and Atlantic. He received his honorable discharge with the rating of Quartermaster First Class at St. Louis, Mo. on May 4, 1946.

He then worked at the T.V. Times until 1959 when he purchased the newspaper from Ray Lee.

He married Joyce Yvonne Jorgenson of Ulen on June 25, 1949, in Zion Lutheran Church at Twin Valley.

He purchased the mailing list of the Gary Graphic from the Garden family in June of 1963, and published two newspapers for 12 years. He combined the Graphic and Times in 1975 when he changed to offset printing. He sold the newspaper in 1979 but continued to work part-time at the paper before ending a career that spans over 70 years. He also worked as a sales representative of the S&S Promotional Group of Fargo for 29 years until 2012.

In addition to belonging to most local organizations over the years, he is a past member of the I.O.O.F. Lily of the Mound Lodge in Platteville, Wis., the 40&8 Voiture Locale #772 in Crookston, and the Ninth District American Legion Band.

He is a member of the "Half Century Club" of the Minnesota Newspaper Association, has a record 71-year membership in the Nesseth-Lien Post #431 of the American Legion and received his 70-year Masonic membership certificate from Moorhead Lodge #126, A.F.&A.M. last fall. He was also the last surviving charter member of the Twin Valley Lions Club.

He had served as trustee and treasurer of Zion Lutheran Church, was on the board of directors of the Norman County Agricultural Society for 21 years, and was clerk for the City of Twin Valley for 12 years.

He is survived by his son-in-law, Douglas Hanson of Winthrop, granddaughters Melissa Hanson of?Winthrop and Trisha Hanson of New London; three great-grandchildren, Ellie, Delaney and William Hanson of New London; two brothers-in-law, David (Clarice) Jorgenson of Waite Park and Gary (Diana) Jorgenson of Owatonna, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceeded in death by his wife; his daughter, Deborah Hanson; a granddaughter, Kristin Hanson; grandson Daniel Hanson; five brothers, Leonard, Arnold, Archie, Floyd, and Milton, and three sisters, Esther Sandvold, Agnes Mattsson and Morraine Norden.

Please limit flowers and plants. Any memorial money will be divided between the local American?Legion, ambulance and police funds and the local museum.

Funeral arrangement planned by the Anderson Funeral Home of Twin Valley.