Arley R. Bjella Papers

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: OGLMC-297

Scope and Contents

The Arley R. Bjella Papers date from 1946 to 1968 and mainly concern the history of the North Dakota Republican Party. Bjella was an active member of the party and was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1950. He was involved in the Republican Organizing Committee, which was successful in eventually separating the Republican Party from the Nonpartisan League. The majority of the collection contains general political files, which typically include correspondence from other party members, as well as newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and publications.

Dates

created: 1946-1968

Creator

Bjella, Arley R. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Biographical or Historical Information

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"Arley Bjella, former chairman and chief executive officer of Lutheran Brotherhood, died Monday at the Walker Medical Center in Minneapolis of complications from pneumonia. Bjella, 84, was born in Epping, N.D., the youngest of five children raised by Norwegian immigrants. He earned a law degree at the University of North Dakota in 1941 and began practicing in Williston, N.D. Starting in 1942, Bjella served in Europe as a captain in the legal division of the Army. After World War II he worked as a prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials. He returned to Williston and resumed his law practice, which flourished after the discovery of oil in the Williston Basin. In 1950, Bjella, a Republican, ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor. In 1967 he was elected a director of Lutheran Brotherhood, a financial service organization. In 1970 he moved to Minneapolis after being elected CEO and chairman of the board. He served in that position until 1987. His priorities included expanding the organization's charitable work. The organization also flourished financially. The life insurance division grew from $4 billion in 1970 to more than $18 billion in 1987. Its assets rose from $579 million to $5.3 billion, and its charitable foundation grew from $1.9 million to nearly $28 million. Bjella's church, civic and community work included leadership roles in the Minneapolis Downtown Council, the Courage Foundation and the Minnesota Meeting. Survivors include his wife, Beverly, of Minneapolis; sons Lance of Minneapolis and Brian of Bismarck, N.D.; daughter Bryn Parchman of Baltimore, and a brother, Lanceford, of Tucson, Ariz. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Av. S., Minneapolis. There will be a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Werness Brothers Funeral Chapels, 3500 W. 50th St., Minneapolis. Memorials are preferred to the Luther Seminary Foundation, the Bethlehem Foundation or the Norwegian- American Museum in Decorah, Iowa." Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune, 23 May 2001

Note written by

Full Extent

1.25 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

1916-2001; UND Class of 1941 and active member of the North Dakota Republican Party

Source of Acquisition

The original acquisition records are unavailable

Accruals and Additions

Additional material was donated by Liv Norderhaug, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, in March 2015 (Acc.2015-3303) and September 2024 (2024-3522; via Dr. Melissa Gjellstad, UND Languages Department).