Maurice "Maury” Haugland

Maurice “Maury” Haugland was born on January 3, 1937, in Jones County, South Dakota, to Nels and Doris Haugland. He passed away on March 6, 2026.

Maurice received his early education at Westover Rural School and Murdo Elementary. He graduated from Murdo High School in 1954 and continued his academic and athletic career at The University of South Dakota. There, he earned his B.S. in Education in 1958 while excelling as a two‑sport collegiate athlete—an all‑conference football player and a starting forward on the 1958 NCAA Division I National Championship basketball team. He went on to receive his M.A. in Secondary Education in 1962 and completed his Doctorate in School Administration in 1986.

Maurice proudly served in the United States Army for more than three years as an infantry and Military Police Corps officer, achieving the distinguished status of Airborne Ranger. He was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, and Fort Benning, Georgia, from 1958 to 1961, and was awarded the Exceptional Service Award in 1961 for his work with the 504th Military Police Battalion.

Following his military service, Maury taught English in Vermillion before beginning a thirty-seven‑year career devoted to public education in South Dakota. He served as Superintendent of Schools in Murdo, Wagner, Yankton, and Rapid City. Over the course of his career, he contributed extensively to statewide educational leadership, serving on the Governor’s Task Force on Seamless Education, Technical Institutes, Elementary and Secondary Education, Special Education Rules Revisions, Excellence in Education, and multiple S.D. Educational Advisory Councils. He was S.D.’s School Superintendent’s Delegate Assembly for statewide legislation, and served on the South Dakota High School Activities Association.

Maurice’s athletic and professional accomplishments were widely recognized. He was inducted into the University of South Dakota Coyote Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 for outstanding performance in basketball and was named the University’s Outstanding Alumni for the School of Education in 1988. In 2016, he was inducted into the South Dakota High School Basketball Hall of Fame.

Maurice married Joanne Gunsalus, with whom he shared three children, Mark, Mason, and Lori who survived him. Mason’s family includes his wife Olga, daughter Macy, son Benjamin, his wife Ashley, and their daughters Kate and Emma, Mason’s daughter Murphy, her husband Andrew Leger, and their son Pierce. 

Lori’s family includes her husband Charlie Prideaux and sons Thor, Tate, and Quinlan Samuelson.

In 1976, Maurice married Pamela Wilson of Miller, South Dakota, who survives him. Together, Maurice and Pamela embraced retirement between Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, and Gold Canyon, Arizona. Maury and Pam would have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this coming July. Throughout their years together, they were dedicated volunteers in their communities and their church.

Maurice is survived by his sisters Karen (Kenneth), Poppe and Essy (Ray) Dolly, along with their families. He was preceded in death by his brother David Haugland, sister-in-law Doris, and his brother‑in‑law Marvin Moser, and daughter-in-law Angela Aames. 

Two Celebrations of Life will be held:

• Wednesday, March 25, 11:00 a.m. service, lunch following. Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, 6640 S. Kings Ranch Road, Gold Canyon, Ariz.

• Thursday, May 28,2026, at 11:00 a.m. service, lunch following.  Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 825 W. Main St., Lead, S.D. Internment at 2:30 p.m. at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota.