Luella E. Solberg. 89

A Funeral Service for Luella E. Solberg will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10:00AM at Grace Evangelical Church in Strathcona, MN. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2024 from 5-7PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN with a prayer service at 6:30PM. Interment will take place at a later date.

Luella Eleanore Howell was born on a very cold day in January of 1935 to Earl and Maude McDermott Howell in Stafford Township, Roseau County. As the story goes, when it became apparent that Maude was going into labor, Earl hitched up his team of horses to quickly go and fetch the doctor. Before they could return, Luella was born in the kitchen, the warmest place in the house. She was found lying on her mother’s tummy and all was well. As a child, she thrived growing up on the farm and this is where her love for animals, especially horses began. She loved riding bareback and taught her white horse, Dan to rear up “like in the movies” with her on. There is a famous family photo taken by Maude documenting Lu on Dan jumping a huge bulldozing pile. To the amazement of her younger siblings, Luella had taught Dan to “count” by pawing his hoof and to answer yes or no by shaking or nodding his head.

The little country schoolhouse was less than a mile to walk from home and she completed 8th grade there. Lu graduated from Badger High School in 1954 and worked as a waitress and a nanny until 1956, when she married Gene Solberg and they raised three girls and one boy while farming west of Badger. Raising a family and farm life was busy for Lu with gardening, raising beef, pigs and chickens, and having a milk cow. She was a hard worker and balanced her life with having horses to ride and even raised some colts. In the lean years she worked at the local grocery and later at a restaurant.

Lu enjoyed life. Before the catch phrases like “Life is good. Seize the day. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Just do it.” She just was. In tough times, she had an inner strength and her faith that kept her from dwelling too long on anything.

She was an avid reader. Always a doodler, often sketching horses while on the phone. When she took up oil painting, a true artist emerged, and she found joy in it. Often, she would paint with her sister, Doris. After taking classes, she evolved to creating beautiful original oil paintings.

Her love of horses was blessed with a group of like-minded women who would go riding together and made for good friendships that she cherished. She also loved going to Hayes Lake cross country skiing. and camping with family in her Minnie Winnie RV.

Luella took great joy in her grandchildren and delighted in her great grandchildren.

One of her greatest longings was fulfilled when she was able to meet the son she had given up for adoption. He and his family were the last puzzle piece of making her joy complete.

Lu had met Lalyn Monsrud in 1985 and they became life partners. In January 2023 Lu had some setbacks in her health and decided to move into Assisted Living in Greenbush and they stuck together. He visited and took her out until his death October 29, 2023. Luella passed away with family at dawn the morning of May 7, 2024 in Greenbush Manor and met her Savior.

Luella is survived by her children: Frank (Renee) Zimpfer Princeton, MN; Denise Jenson (Eden) Strathcona, MN; Lynette Trangsrud Badger, MN; Coleen (Gene) Tremaine Prior Lake, MN Grandchildren: Jeremy (Shari) Rychly, Peter (Amanda) Zimpfer, Matthew (Amber) Zimpfer, Zachary Zimpfer, Beau (Amber) Jenson, Jacob Trangsrud, and Sage Tremaine. Great Grandchildren: Jessica, Alex, Tristan, Aiden, Melody, Wyatt, Carter, Sawyer and Coraline. Siblings: Doris Cooley Greenbush, MN; Ronald (Carol) Howell Badger, MN; Betty (Dennis) Copeland Olathe, KS. and many nieces and nephews.

Luella is preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Maude Howell, son, Michael Solberg; brother & sister-in-law, Delbert and Arlene Howell; brother-in-law Randy Erickson, sons-in-law Ronald Jenson and David Trangsrud; nephew Todd Howell and son Keith, and Life Partner Lalyn Monsrud.

Helgeson Funeral Home