Born: 24 Feb 1885, Holmes City twp, Douglas Co, MN
Married: 23 Dec 1912, Churches Ferry, ND
Died: 30 Dec 1941, Eagle Bend, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Rev. Elling Severin Solheim
Newspaper Obituary:
MRS. E.S. SOLHEIM
Gea Helene Sogaarden Solheim, the daughter of Ole and Oline Sogaarden,
was born February 24, 1885 in South Holmes City, Minn. She was baptized
and confirmed in the Trysil Lutheran church near Holmes City. Here she
grew to womanhood.
On December 23, 1912 she was united in marriage to Rev E.S. Solheim at
Churches Ferry, ND. To this union three children were born, namely:
Odella, teaching at Faulkton, SD, Evelyn, teaching at Enderlin, ND, and
Arthur attending the Concordia College at Moorhead.
After her marriage she lived at Valley City, ND, for 12 years. In
June 1924 she moved with her family to Eagle Bend where she resided
until her death.
Mrs Solheim had been afflicted with heart trouble and high blood
pressure for several years, but immediately prior to her fatal illness
she had been feeling exceptionally well. She died at her home at 7:30
Tuesday evening, December 30, 1941 two hours after she had been stricken
with an apoleptic stroke. She had reached the age of 56 years, ten
months and six days.
The funeral services were held at the home Saturday morning, January
3, 1942 at 10:30 and at the Norwegian Lutheran church in Eagle Bend at
11 o’clock, Rev Ingel Hovland of Willmar, an old friend and classmate of
Rev Solheim, spoke at the home. A sextet composed of Kathryn Nuland,
Mrs Walter Bergstrom, Mrs Charles Gunderson, Eddie Nelson, John Barlow
and Charles Gunderson accompanied at the piano by Mrs Arthur Dalsgaard
sang “Abide With Me”.
Rev Hovland officiated at the church, Dr T.O.Bruntvedt of Minneapolis,
the president of the Lutheran Free church, delivered the funeral sermon.
Rev Hovland then read the obituary, listed the gifts given to missions
and schools in memory of Mrs Solheim and spoke consoling and comforting
words to the family. Rev A.A. Reece, a brother-in-law of Mrs Solheim,
spoke in behalf of the family. Rev L.B. Sateren of Brandon, the
president of the Fergus Falls circuit, extended his sympathy, bringing a
memorial gift to missions from the circuit.
“Jesus, Lover of My Soul”, “I Know of a Sleep in Jesus Name” “Rock of
Agues”, and “When Peace Like a River” were sung by the sextet. Dr
Burntvedt sang in Norwegian one of Mrs Solheim’s favorite hymns, “Den
Store, Hvide Flok Vi Ser”. The funeral services closed by the
congregation’s joining in singing “Blest Be the Ties that Bind” and in
praying together “The Lord’s Prayer”.
She was laid to rest in the Trysil cemetery; Rev A.A. Reece
officiating. The pall bearers were Louis Hetland and Peter Bramsen of
Eagle Bend, John O Johnson of Browerville, Fred Berg, Edwin Erickson and
Francis Lee of Long Prairie.
She leaves to mourn her death besides her husband and three children;
two brothers, Martin and Peter Sogaarden of Lowry, four sisters;
Christine (Mrs H.O. Helseth) of Minneapolis, Olive (Mrs Henry Femrite)
of Lowry, Bertha (Mrs A.A. Reece) of Farwell and Marie (Mrs Johnnie
Johnson) of Minneapolis. Two brothers and two sisters have preceded her
in death.
Mrs Solheim was known for her unselfish devotion to her family and
friends and she was in turn loved and reverred by all who knew her as a
fine Christine woman and home maker.
(from Olea Jensdatter Østby and Peder Paulsen Grambo History, pages 383
and 384 )
Gea Helene, daily called Helen, was the next youngest in the flock of
children and among the sisters in the Sogaarden home. She received her
name from her twin aunts, Gjertrud and Helene Søgård from Trysil. After
some difficulties pronouncing her name at school, she changed the
pronunciation to Helen. Her siblings always said Helene, pronounced the
Norwegian way, but when they spoke English they said Helen. She grew up
with a close attachment to her family. It had been 16 years since Oline
and Ola immigrated to America, and the flock of children continued to
grow. There were 19 years between the eldest boy, Martin, and Helen,
and therefore it was only natural that he was regarded as “one of the
grown-ups” during her adolescence. Helen and her sister, Bertha, were
always together, and people thought they were twins. They worked
together on the farm, and they sang together in the church choir. They
often sang a duet, where Helen was the soprano and Bertha the alto. The
conductor was very pleased and thought that Helen was the best soprano
he had ever had in his choir. Their conductor was at that time Torgal
Nordby from Trysil. He was married to Johanne, born Grambo, the
daughter of Marte and Paul P. Grambo, who also emigrated to America.
Helen was a clever pupil, but was unable to continue her education as
her mother had decided that she should remain at home and help out. Her
father died when Helen was 14 years old, and her sisters had already
left home. So she took part in the work both outdoors and indoors, and
occasionally went on fishing trips to Lake Rachel and Pocket Lake. She
liked to pick berries in the large orchard on the Sogaarden Farm. After
several years she left home and went to live with her sister Lillie in
Minneapolis.
She married Elling Severin Soleim, who had emigrated in 1904 from
Smednes in Tustna and Halsa on the Nordmøre coast in Norway. He was the
son of Nicoline, born Lervig, and Anders T Soleim. Elling was a
Minister at Valley City, ND and Eagle Bend, MN. They were married by
Helen’s brother-in-law, Hans Helseth in Churches Ferry, North Dakota.
Elling had never thought that he would ever settle down in America, but
after awhile he began to feel at home in the new country, and decided to
remain there. He added an “h” to his last name, and every since the
family has had the last name “Solheim”.
Elling received his theological education at Augsburg Theological
Seminary in 1912, and found work among the Norwegian farmers while he
studied in order to manage economically. However he lived on the
minimum needed for survival, and became ill during his education. In
his brother’s home he was well taken care of and recovered so that he
could begin to study again. Elling was ordained as a Minister in the
course of the year 1912. He began as Pastor of First Lutheran Church in
Valley City, ND.
But Elling’s health was to have great consequences for himself and
his family. After advice from his doctor they moved to the Solheim Farm
in a Norwegian colony approx. 10 miles southwest of Valley City. He
worked there for Zion Lutheran Church and received good help and support
from the congregation.
Helen kept up the Norwegian food traditions and for Christmas she
always baked lefse, fattigmann, krumkaker, rosetter etc. They had 3
children: Nora Odella, Helen Evelyn, and Arthur Oliver. Since Elling
eventually had to begin using English when he conducted his church
services it was decided that he should attend the Northwestern Lutheran
Seminary in Minneapolis and study there for a year in order to learn
English. During this time Helen and the children lived on the Sogaarden
Farm together with Oline, Martin, and Peter. When his English studies
were finished the family settled in Eagle Bend, and resided there for
the rest of their lives. Elling had problems getting started when he
conducted his church services in English, but he later held many good
sermons before retirement.
Helen died in 1941, only 56 years old. Elling died in 1955, two
years after he had retired. They were both buried at Trysil Lutheran
Cememtery, Homes City twp.