Leslie was the Lag's first genealogist.  He built our library from scratch, spent long hours studying and transcribing microfilm, and put many miles on his car, visiting many county courthouses and cemeteries looking for information about members' Hadeland ancestors.  He was our expert on the families of Hadeland, and left an incredible legacy of carefully documented research that will serve the Lag and its members well, far into the future. He may have officially retired, but just weeks before his death, he was walking cemeteries and scrutinizing county records in search of lost but not forgotten Hadeland member ancestors. He was a quiet and thoughtful man, and for those of us who benefitted from his expertise or came to consider him a friend, we are so grateful for the privilege of having known him. The picture on the left is from his "official" retirement in 2005, receiving a certificate and other gifts from Lag president, Delores Cleveland. He was elected to the Emeritus Council when the new by-laws were adopted in 2006.  Below is his obituary from the Fargo (ND) Forum: 

Leslie Rogne, 93, of Kindred, North Dakota, died of a brain hemorrhage June 14 at his home under the care of hospice. He was born on the Rogne farm in Walcott Township near Kindred November 1, 1915, son of Brynjulf (B. J.) and Emma (Trana) Rogne. He graduated from Pleasant Consolidated High School in 1935. He served in the Air Force during World War II, during which he met and married Katherine Kazmark on January 5, 1943.

They lived in South Carolina during the war, returning in 1945 to Kindred, where he farmed until retiring in the late 1990s. Rogne was a well-known bass soloist, singing at many weddings, funerals, and other events from the 1930s to the 1960s. He performed in musicals with the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and sang in the Kindred Community Chorus. He worked at the Fargo Public Library as the bookmobile driver during the 1960s and 1970s. Rogne was active in the Non-Partisan League and North Dakota Farmers Union and was a 4-H leader. He was a founder and member of the Red River Freethinkers. Rogne was a kind and gentle man who loved the land. He loved the North Dakota Sandhills and was active in efforts in the 1970s to stop the Kindred Dam. He was a tree planter, flower grower, beekeeper, and well driller. He grew certified seed and in his later years operated RogneSchumacher Seed Farm (with son-in-law Fred Schumacher), growing native grass seed. In 1990 he received the Premier Grass Seed Grower Award from the North Dakota Crop Improvement Association. The passion of his later years was family and immigration history, and he spent many years as the genealogist for the Hadeland Lag, helping many Norwegian-American families find their roots.

He leaves his wife, Katherine; son Trana (Gail) at Kindred; son Seward (Ann) in Miami, Florida; daughter Leah (Fred Schumacher) of Orr, Minnesota; his sister Charlotte Marick of Kindred; five grandchildren, Seward, Jr., Karl, and Kari Rogne, and Janos and Leslie Rogne Schumacher; and three great-grandchildren. He also leaves nephews Duane, Robert (Carmen) and Eric (Sarah) Rogne; and niece Kay (Duane) Lindblad.

Rogne was preceded in death by his father, mother, brother Johannes, and sister Agnes. A memorial service was held at the Rogne farm at Kindred at 2 pm on Sunday, June 28. Memorials may be sent to Hospice of the Red River Valley.