Born: 3 Mar 1880, Tustna, Kristiansund, Norway
Married: 23 Dec 1912, Churches Ferry, ND
Died: 23 Jun 1955, Long Prairie, MN
Buried: Trysil-Bethesda cemetery, Holmes City, Douglas Co, MN
Spouse: Gea Helen Sogaarden
Newspaper Obituary:
Rev. E.S. Solheim Buried Monday Near Farwell
Funeral services for Rev E.S.Solheim of Eagle Bend were held from the
Trinity Lutheran church in Eagle Bend on Monday, June 27, at 2 pm. The
pastors officiating at the services were Rev Torgney Jystad and Rev John
T Quanbeck of Minneapolis. Mrs Carl Olson sang “I Know that My Redeemer
Liveth,” Mrs Torgney Jystad sang “Behold the Host Array in White,” one
verse in Norwegian, and a mixed quartet sang “I Know of a Sleep in
Jesus’ Name.” These hymns were special favorites of Rev Solheim. Mrs
Leroy Gulden was the pianist.
The pallbearers were Oscar A Olson, Elmer Sumey, Edwin Erickson, Fred
Berg, Ralph Rubel and Adolph Klug.
Interment was made at the Trysil Lutheran church cemetery near
Farwell, where Mrs Solheim is laid to rest.
Rev Solheim passed away after a two day’s illness at the Long Prairie
hospital on Thursday evening, June 23, at 9 pm. Found Wednesday morning
in his room semi-conscious, he was rushed by ambulance to the Long
Prairie hospital and after a short time appeared to rally, but by 9:30
o’clock Wednesday morning he lost consciousness which he never regained.
Elling Severin Solheim, one of nine children, was born to Anders and
Nicoline Solheim on March 3, 1880, on the island of Tustna near
Kristiansund, Norway. Here he grew to manhood. His father was a school
teacher, and Elling, after finishing the common school, attended an
agricultural college. In 1904, at the age of 24, he came to the United
States and joined his brother, John, who had settled near Milford, Iowa.
By working on farms in the summer and later teaching parochial schools,
he worked his way through Augsburg Theological Seminary. He was
ordained as a pastor in the Lutheran Free church in 1912.
His first pastorate was in Valley City, ND, where he served until
1923. In the fall of 1923, he returned to school in Minneapolis and
studied at the Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary. In June,
1924, he moved to Eagle Bend and the Eagle Valley Lutheran Free Church
charge until 1952.
Rev Solheim was very interested in educational opportunities for the
youth of the community and served on the Eagle Bend School Board for 17
years. After retirement from the ministry in 1952, he continued as
secretary of the school board, a position he held at the time of his
death.
On Dec 23, 1912, at Church’s Ferry, ND, he married Helene Sogaarden
who preceded him in death on Dec 30, 1941. Surviving Rev Solheim are
his three children: Mrs Leonhard Baak (Odella), of Emporia, Kansas,
Evelyn of Port Angeles, Wash, and Arthur of Lanesboro, Minn; two
grandsons, William and Edward Solheim of Lanesboro; and two sisters in
Norway, Mrs Borghild Indegard and Gina Solheim.
Relatives attending the funeral were Mr and Mrs Ole Finstad of
Brainerd, Mrs A.A. Reece and Oliver of Farwell, Mr and Mrs Murville
Femrite, Cecelia and Elizabeth, of Farwell, Stanley Femrite and Rodney
of Lowry, Mr and Mrs William Baak and Clarence of Ricketts, Iowa.