Louise Solberg

Louise Joan (Josephson) Solberg, 98, of Kalmazoo, MI, passed away September 29, 2018. A memorial service for Louise will be held at Friendship Village in Kalamazoo on Saturday, October 20, at 3 p.m.

She was born July, 5, 1920, in Minneota, Minnesota to Arngrim Thorstein Josephson and “Winnie” Johnson Josephson.

Louise grew up bilingual (Icelandic-English) thanks to the presence of her Icelandic immigrant grandparents.

She graduated from Minneota high school in 1937, and from Moorhead State College (MN) in 1940.

She taught in Minnesota public schools in Balaton, White Bear Lake and St. Peter. She married Lawrence Solberg in 1942. They lived in Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, Saint Peter (MN), Hartford City (IN), Medford (OR), Brussels (Belgium) and Saint Paul (MN).

Louise retired from the University of Minnesota in 1980, after thirteen years as Secretary to the Director of Bookstores and as Senior Secretary in the Department of Agricultural Engineering. She moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 2006.

Louise was a rosemaling artist, crafter, dancer, dog-sitter, lefse maker, wonderful mother and grandmother, and lover of movies with happy endings.

Louise was preceded in death by husband Lawrence, brother John E. Josephson, and infant twin brother and sister, Jon and Joan.

She is survived by daughter Janet (John Townsend), sons John and James (Rita), granddaughter Sarah Ann, and a host of friends of all ages from all around the country.

Memorials preferred to Heifer International, the Val Björnson Scholarship Fund (University of Minnesota), Hospice of Southwest Michigan, Smile Train, or a charity of your choice.