Lois Margaret Calkins Solberg
December 3, 1923 ~ July 18, 2015
On Saturday, July 18th, Lois M. Solberg passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side. Lois was 91 years old. She was born on December 3, 1923 in Steele, North Dakota to Commerce J. and Mary Margaret Calkins and grew up on a farm near Steele surrounded by farms owned by extended pioneering families. The Dust Bowl and the Depression defined her life with great faith in God and our Lord Jesus, and forever finding uses for things we would throw away. Her footprint on this life was small, but her love and sharing of her knowledge was great. She graduated from North Dakota State University and taught high school level Home Economics in Redmond Oregon, Crosby, North Dakota and in Bismarck, North Dakota. In 1950 she and a friend went on a blind date with two young men just out of the military, and were married to the same blind dates years later. Lois and Dennis (Bill) Solberg lived on a beautiful farm just outside Bismarck. She enjoyed being a farmer’s wife, sewing, gardening, canning, freezing all of the food for the year, feeding the hired hands with stunning meals and deserts, making sure that all had a balanced diet. She was a member of Eastern Star, PEO, the McCabe Methodist Church and Fireside Homemakers. She taught 4H and Sunday School for years, having a positive influence on many children. In 1980 Dennis and Lois retired and moved to the Mohawk Valley area near Springfield, Oregon and lived there until their respective deaths. One of their greatest pleasures was to travel in their RV, touring the world, often visiting friends that lived abroad, visiting their children and grandchildren and being snowbirds in AZ in the winter. Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis (Bill) Solberg, her brother, Warren Calkins and her parents, C.J. and Mary Calkins. Lois is survived by her daughter, Susan Grigsby and her husband Joe Grigsby of Springfield, Oregon and her son, John Solberg and his wife Lisa of Edina, Minnesota, one brother, Robert (Marilyn) Calkins, and five grandchildren and seven great -grandchildren.
