Minneord, Dale | Dalsfjordbrua’s “father” is gone
Einar Kåre Hovland died on 4 January and was laid to rest from Vik church on Friday 20 January, on the day a month before he would have turned 70. Many took the opportunity to say a final goodbye, and both in the church and at the memorial service, a picture was drawn of a dear family man and steady professional who is now gone.
Einar was born and grew up in Hovland in Flekke, Fjaler municipality, as the oldest of the six children born to Helga and Arne Hovland. Grandmother Anna Kalstad, who was a midwife by profession, welcomed him. After working as a midwife, Anna was at the forefront of women in local politics in Fjaler.
Both Einar and eg started school as a six-year-old to Kari Hovland. Although he was the youngest, and four of his companions were a year older, he did well both academically and physically. He was quiet and careful, but tall and strong, and asserted himself well both in sports and when he had to exert his strength in a good, old-fashioned backstroke.
The high school chose Einar to go to Årdal, where he met Wenche Britt Valsvik, from Vik, whom he married in 1974. They had two sons, and settled in Vik after training as a civil engineer in Trondheim and working in the Coastal Administration, with a residence in Oslo. Over time there were five grandchildren.
For many years, Einar was a commuter to the home in Nedste Hopperstadmarki, where he liked it best. He was helpful and still had a project going on at home, including building a pool in the garden, something both young and old could use and enjoy. In the home, doors were always open for those who came by.
As a construction and project manager in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration he was assigned several major tasks. In the fable about the goose, the cat and the rooster, who all had success in the king’s city, Copenhagen, Jakob Sande writes: «yes, that’s how things can go in this world, when only one poor person comes out».
Einar was no wretch, on the contrary. But like the goose, the cat and the rooster, there was a “cry in the village” when he returned home and successfully separated himself from important tasks such as project and construction management on Rv 57, the Rennestraum-Lutefura tunnel, opened in 1999, and not least the Dalsfjord connection , opened 2013.
Einar was active for his loved ones and stepped into the roles of husband, father, father-in-law and, not least, grandfather with a lot of humor, imagination, life and desire. He bore the disease with strength and good humor. Einar liked to come home to Hovland and appreciate the time spent with the extended family there, fishing and outdoor activities.
Men against disgusting disease we all fight in vain. Einar’s fight lasted five years, all the while with Wenche Britt as a tireless inspiration and co-player. «Team Hovland» kept up the courage and team morale, both in good and bad days. Just such a gong promise.
In the summer of 2019, everyone will participate the eighteen classmates and two teachers to mark the 60th anniversary of the start of the school in 1959, at the Hauglandsenteret. This also came to Einar. Even though he was still affected by the disease, we all had a pleasant time together.
Fx is grateful for travel companions with Einar in the school years and later.