Carol Solhjem Mason, 86

Carol passed away quietly on June 18, 2022, at her Kalispell home after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Carol was born at her family farm near Leonard, North Dakota, in December 1935 to Frederick and Alma Solhjem. She joined two older brothers and would soon have a sister and two more brothers. The family lived on and worked the farm that was built by her grandparents who emigrated from Norway. She attended Sheyenne Township school, a one-room schoolhouse, through eighth grade and most of her classmates were her cousins. Carol graduated from Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo, where she boarded, returning home to the farm each weekend. She graduated from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in Fargo in 1956. She and three adventurous friends set out for eastern Montana where Carol took a job at the Veterans Hospital in Miles City. She soon met and married Wade Mason and had 58 loving years until his death in 2017.

Carol and Wade moved to Kalispell in 1964 with four preschoolers and built a wonderful home on four acres, complete with huge garden, assorted livestock and pets. Carol was a tireless homemaker, tending the garden, cooking delicious meals, and baking bread and her famous cinnamon rolls each Saturday night. She continued nursing, working in private care, in labor and delivery at the hospital, then for Drs. Nelson and Heine at Kalispell Ob/Gyn, and finally at Immanuel Lutheran Home. Carol was a devoted mother with a nice balance of love, fun, and guidance for her children and their friends.

Carol and Wade enjoyed living on Flathead Lake during their retirement and the family, now including nine grandchildren, loved visiting. Carol taught them all to bake, starting with the simplest recipes and eventually mastering lefse. She was an attentive grandma, never missing a birthday or holiday. She always made time for tea parties, building forts, and even played Twister!

Carol loved traveling and had many memorable trips with Wade to Europe, Mexico, and the Southwest where they basked in the sun. They once spent a month in Mexico helping build an orphanage. She traveled to Norway a few times with her parents and reconnected with relatives. When home, Carol made beautiful quilts, tended her flower beds, and finally sat down to read good books. She was a member of the Sons of Norway and took Norwegian language classes to refresh her childhood first language. She tutored two young granddaughters in Norwegian each week in her later years.

There was something very special about Carol apparent to all who knew her. The love of God was a light that shone brightly in her optimism and kindness to others. Even in her last few months she reminded others that “the most important thing” is to love God, to listen to his voice and to tell others of his love. She was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Eidsvold Lutheran Church, and Faith Covenant Church. She loved meeting with her Flathead Lake neighborhood Bible study for many years.

She was preceded in death by her husband Wade, and brothers Iver Solhjem and Gordon Solhjem.

She is survived by sister Grace Stainbrook, brothers Allen Solhjem and Ralph Solhjem, her children Barbara (Dennis) Peterson, Douglas (Ashley) Mason, Patricia (Steven) Anderson, and Sheryl (Cris) Miller, and grandchildren Joe, Alex, and Hannah Peterson, Annika and Brynn Mason, Peter and Finn Anderson, and Gabe and Annie Miller.

We would like to thank all Mom’s devoted personal caregivers and hospice nurse who enabled her quality of life to continue at home.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a m on Aug. 19 at Faith Covenant Church at 611 3rd Ave. East in Kalispell. A light lunch will follow.

Memorials may be made to Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp or to your favorite charity.