Another Angel in Heaven

Ellen Strand Roholt

July 31, 1945  ~  January 10, 2012

Ellen Strand Roholt, age 66, passed away January 10, 2012 in Hinckley, Utah. Ellen was born in Drammen, Norway to Knut and Aase Strand. She came to Salt Lake City, Utah at age 2, when her family left Norway to join other family members. Ellen was an excellent student in school and carried a near perfect grade point for her entire school years. She then went on passing many different college classes and specialized courses for her career.

She was married to Reed B. Roholt on September 16, 1967 in Elko, Nevada where they eloped. On June 30, 2000, she and her husband were married for time and eternity in the Manti LDS Temple.

Ellen worked for the State of Utah in several positions. All were in helping other people get jobs, education, and benefits from being deserted by their spouse. She helped others on and off the job and was never too busy to help someone in need.

Ellen had a talent for writing, art and music. She sang at many weddings and funerals and performed in several plays. She ran her own rutabaga-gram business and brought laughter to many birthday parties. Ellen was a lover of animals and had horses and dogs throughout her life. She was a member of the Silver Spurs and traveled to many rodeos throughout her youth. Ellen was a member of the LDS church; and after going through the temple, she and her husband taught a class for those who wanted to get back to church.

The greatest joy came to Ellen from her family. She loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and bragged about them always. She is survived by her husband: Reed B. Roholt, Hinckley; mother: Aase Strand, Salt Lake City; daughters: Starlyn Roholt, Provo; Robyn (Steve) Sciuto, Salt Lake City; son: Shane (Jannette) Roholt, Logan; daughter: Kodi Schoppmann, Cedar City; 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday January 16, at 11 AM in the Hinckley LDS Ward Chapel,

188 North Main St.

Viewings will be held Sunday evening, 7-8 PM, at Nickle Mortuary,

190 S. Center St

, Delta; and Monday morning at the church, 9:30-10:40 AM. Burial will be in the Hinckley Cemetery.

This is my cousin Ellen, the oldest of Uncle Knut's daughters, and the first of the Strand cousins to pass from this life. 

The obituary posted by the funeral home (above) doesn't mention her sisters: Inger, Colleen and Jane, nieces and nephews, and cousins, who also loved her and will miss her.

Ellen had a larger than life personality and was so fun to be around.  She was blessed with many talents and was never shy about sharing them with others.  She was a joy to all those who knew her.

She will be sorely missed.

Anne Berit Arrives in America



The Stavangerfjord of the Norwegian-American Line

My mother, Anne-Berit Strand, immigrated to the United States in December of 1950.  She came aboard the Stavangerfjord, a ship she was to return to Norway for a visit on a couple of years later with a 6 month-old me.


Passenger List from December 4, 1950

  The passenger list from the Stavangerfjord shows an arrival date of 12/04/1950.

Detail of List shows Anne-Berit

Mom's Uncle Marthinius Strand had already established himself in the New World.  By 1950 he had also established his own company and made his fortune.  He was happy to be Anne's sponsor.  I believe that is his address below her name.


Anne-Berit's cousin Elin and family were on the same ship

 Accompanying Anne-Berit were her cousin Elin, Elin's husband Kaare, and their children Marit and Kjersti. 

Detail shows Kaare, Elin and their daughters, Marit and Kjersti

Elin and Kaare stayed for 10 years in America, before they returned home to Norway.

Anne-Berit married Glenn Evensen a couple of weeks later, on December 20th, in Salt Lake City.

Bestemor's Trip to America

S.S.Bergensfjord
Photo: Anders Beer Wilse/Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

My grandmother, Sigrid Sophie Olsen, came to America in 1915 and spent a few years in Salt Lake before returning to her native Norway.  She traveled on the S.S. Bergensfjord.

The passenger manifest shows her leaving Kristiania (Oslo) on May 23rd, 1915.  The trip would have taken about a week.

The detail below shows Miss Sigrid Olsen on line 16.  Her age is listed as 27.  Her occupation: Clerk.  Her place of origin, Norway; her nationality, Scandinavian.  Her Mother is listed as Oleane Olsen, with the address of Mauritz Hansensgate 4, Kristiania - as the person to contact in case of emergency.

[Note: I'm not sure when Oleane moved to Maurtiz Hansen's street, or whether she moved there originally with her husband or after his death.  It appears from the note on the ship manifest that Oleane lived at #4 by herself after her husband passed away.  After Sigrid married Einar Strand, they lived in Drammen for a while.  They moved to Oslo, and into the ground floor apartment at #4 sometime after my mother, Anne-Berit, was born.  At that time, Oleane was already living upstairs in a smaller apartment.  She eventually moved in with the Strand family and stayed there until her death.]

There was a large Scandinavian population in Salt Lake at the time that Sigrid visited, and Sigrid was caught up in a whirl of social events.  However, Sigrid wasn't happy in Salt Lake and eventually came home to Oslo again after World War I was over.  There she met Einar Strand.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Einar Strand's "Church" Biography

"Under the Northern Light's Sky"

In the late 1960s, Hilmar Freidel undertook a daunting task -  he wrote a history of the Norwegian Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the year 1851 through 1966.

Brother Freidel was a wonderful man who loved kids and billed himself as "Santa Claus's Brother" to me when I was a little girl.  He even visited me my freshman year at BYU, so I remember him warmly.

In this book are all kinds of references to my various family members, on both my mother's and father's side of the family, but in this post I will only address his biography of my grandfather, Einar Strand.

I have taken it upon myself to translate this from pages 150-152.  (Please feel free to write me to correct anything I may have gotten wrong.  I did this quickly and may have translated a few things poorly. I will be grateful for any corrections.)

Einar Strand

35.  Einar Strand was born on the 22nd of July in 1893 in the Frogner Parish of Lier.  He was baptized [a member of the LDS church] the 15th of May 1920 in Oslo and was ordained as an Elder the 2nd of June, 1921.  He was for a while the President of the Drammen Branch Sunday School, and was a member of the Drammen Branch Presidency from 1922 until he moved to Oslo in September of 1927.  In 1929 he became a member of the Oslo Branch Presidency, and on the 2nd of November, 1930, was called as the Branch President.  He had this calling until the 14th of January, 1934, - and he was so popular and held in such high esteem that the Oslo Branch Relief Society honored him, and the immediate members of the Branch presidency, with a special party in their honor which was held on the 23rd of January, 1934. 

A report tells:

“The party started with a hymn and prayer, after which Sister Kristofa Sønsteby read a prolog (poem) in honor for the old Branch Presidency.  Sister Ljungberg, the President of the Relief Society, thanked these good, dear brothers for the good support they had had from them, and for their good fellowship in working together.  – The New Branch Presidency was also wished welcome. – After that she gave the former Branch President and his two counselors each a beautiful flower.”

(A large part of this honor fell also on the two active Brothers Ramm Arveseter and Gustav Fernsjo as Brother Strand’s counsellors, and Brother Oscar R. Lindbo as Branch Secretary.)

In August 1937, Einar Strand was once again called as Branch President, and he held this position until September, 1946.  Other data we can note: [He served as] Teacher in Oslo’s Sunday School Adult class (Gospel Doctrine) for a total of 25 years.  19 Years straight as a teacher in the Genealogical Class, not to mention many years of teaching in the Young Men’s organization, together with teaching in his Priesthood Quorum for 30 years.  Under Mission President Jospeh A. Gundersen, he was called as President of the Elder’s Quorum in the Oslo and Drammen District, and was in that capacity until the Fall of 1964.  Afterwards, he was called as Secretary to the Elder’s Quorum in Oslo 2 Branch, and as District’s Council member in Oslo District.  For many years under Mission Presidents Axel J. Andresen’s and Joseph A. Gundersen’s time, he was called to preside over regular meetings in Odalen, together with the missionaries that from time to time worked there.

Brother Einar Strand’s talents in the gospel belong to the most gifted, his courage was eminent.  His courageous comments and leadership in difficult times have awakened notice, thought and discussions amongst the Church membership, but his will and abilities to defend his ideas has also created fruitful afterthoughts.  There is not enough said how he, as a member of the Church, has fought a marvelous spiritual battle and has been a strong and solid pillar in the Gospel framework – as well as when the opposition came from outside the church.

Those who had the opportunity to seek his unwavering optimism and enjoy a feeling of safety and cheer in those days when the land was under the ruling government’s watchful and vengeful eye [i.e. World War II occupation by Nazi Germany], will never forget him.  His unbelievable ability to uncover so-called ‘illegal’ news, he used to give hope and faith to all who despaired.  This showed a fearless joy of giving the worth of which can not be measured.

But it almost went wrong in the summer of 1943 when he was arrested, beaten and placed in a dark cell in Victoria Terrasse [the police station, which became Nazi headquarters] in Oslo.  That morning he had promised to visit a sick woman who was in the hospital, to give her a blessing.  In that lonely prison, he prayed to be able to fulfill his promise to this woman, and God heard his prayer – because he was released in the same hour.  A second time he was arrested, but was again returned unhurt from those who would have judged him.

As an Elder, as Branch President, as a help to the Mission, and an unshakeable champion of truth, he was among the best; but as a human being, as a never failing friend to children, as a comforter and source of cheer in times of sorrow, and as the rousing force when it was time for a party, as poet and author of more songs and poems than can be counted, he showed another side of his character and gifts that are not any less as well thought of.  It was difficult for while to think of Osterhausgaten 27 (the address of the Oslo Branch chapel until the 1970s) without “Pappa Strand” – as the children usually called him -  But he also placed his mark on other places, not in the least Drammen and Odalen, and other places in Norway and Sweden which he visited.

Brother Einar Strand’s effectiveness within the Church, also consisted of visiting the sick and the conducting of funerals, usually at any time of the day – with the result that he was often away from his home and his own family.  His wife, Sigrid Strand, must therefore also stand among those women who in their own way made huge sacrifices [for the Gospel].  A husband who goes completely in and is willing to sacrifice his time for good deeds, can not be completely successful if he doesn’t have a wife who shares his faith and is willing to share the burdens that surely come along with it.  The activity that in one way or another must come to a home where the husband is strongly needed, insures that the wife must shore up the things that are lacking, and in this regard Sister Sigrid Strand has known the cost of being married to a man who is constantly in demand.

But such it is when a married couple go whole heartedly into a calling – whether it is as Mission Leader, Branch President, Organist, Conductor, or whatever; and when a man is strongly active, so must one understand that at the same time there sits at home someone who in their own way share in that and should also share in the success that follows.

Here are copies of the actual book pages:


Page 150




Page 151




Page 152



Grandmother's Maids - Mina

Mina
I'm sorry this detail is so blurry.  I had trouble finding photos of her.

For many years, (like half a century, I think) a wonderful woman named Mina Mørch was a maid for my Bestemor.  A fixture in the Strand household, I got the impression she loved my Bestemor dearly and looked up to her.  She never called Bestemor Søster Strand or Fru Strand or even Sigrid, it was always “Strand”.  Mina was a diminutive lady with a quiet dignity.  Her wrinkled face had once been quite pretty.  She often asked Bestefar for advice and for priesthood blessings.  I know she worked very hard all her life, yet was faithful in paying her tithes and offerings and attending church.

Mina’s husband was an alcoholic and a ne’er do well kind of guy.  Together they had 16 children – all single births!  Mina kept her 16 children clothed and fed by taking in washing and ironing and working for my grandmother and probably others.  Mina was also one of my grandmother’s best friends.  Bestemor once asked Mina why she had so many children when her husband was such a scoundrel.  “He’s my husband, Strand” was all Mina answered. 

Mina was a woman of great faith in God.  From her 16 children, the Lord raised up the first Stake President of the Oslo, Norway Stake, and it’s first patriarch.

There’s a funny story about Mina’s husband (which may or may not be apocryphal!).  One night he was in charge of getting the children to bed, as Mina was working late.  They had a tiny apartment and the children slept on sofas and pallets all over the place.  When Mina got home, she asked how everything had gone.  “Not bad,” her husband replied.  “Except for this one here.”  He pointed to a youngster sound asleep nearby.  “He gave me a devil of a time.”

“Well, no wonder,” answered Mina, “he’s not one of ours.”

Mina was thrilled when I was born, as I was born on her birthday, the 18^th of October.  She considered it quite an honor that one of Strand’s grandchildren was born on her birthday.

This sweet woman worked her fingers to the bone until she was quite elderly.  Then, her oldest children took over and finally provided her with a better life.  Mina had always longed to see Salt Lake City.  The kids all chipped in when Mina turned 70 years old and sent their mom on a trip to Zion.  She was thrilled beyond speech.

Our whole family drove up to Salt Lake City during her stay to spend some time with her there.  I was so thankful that this wonderful lady got a chance to realize her dream before she passed from this life.  It was the last time I saw her alive.  I loved her a lot.


Mina, Anne-Berit, Marianne and Jay at the "This Is The Place" Monument outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, circa 1967



Grandmother's Maids

Fru Andersen & Me

My grandmother was ill many years, and mostly bed-ridden for the last 20 years of her life.  She had several maids that came to help her keep house, and several young girls who would run errands for her.

One of the steadfast regulars was Fru Andersen, who lived across the hall from my grandparents.  The picture shows me visiting her in her little apartment in the early 90s.  Fru Andersen was a kind lady who was a real blessing in my grandmother's life.

Me and Solveig Nimmons

I also visited her daughter, Solveig, back in the 90s.  Solveig and her husband live in Jessheim, not far from the new Gardemoen Airport outside of Oslo.  As a little girl, Solveig would run errands for my grandmother and then get fed breakfast before heading off to school.  Solveig came and lived with our family in Phoenix, Arizona, for a year in the 1960s.

A Diplomatic Honor

One day in 1981, a big black American Embassy limousine, sporting Amercian flags, pulled up in front of Mauritz Hansensgate #4. 

The whole street was agog, with people peeking out of their windows at the sight!  Soon the doorbell rang.  Bestefar Einar opened the door, and to his surprise and amazement, there stood newly appointed American Ambassador Mark Evans Austad.  He was no stranger to Bestefar, as he had served as an LDS missonary many years before.  Seeing the surprise on my grandfather's face, Ambassador Austad took his hand and shook it warmly.  As he was ushered into stuen, he said, "I want you to know, Einar, I came to see you before I saw the King." 

Austad had a long and illustrious political career that included serving on presidential inaugural committees both times Richard Nixon was elected.  Next, he was appointed by President Gerald Ford as Ambassador to Finland.  In 1980, Austad served again on an inaugural committee, this time for Ronald Regan's first election, after which he was again appointed as a U.S. Ambassador, this time to his beloved Norway.  He served in Norway until 1984.  He died in Arizona four years later at the age of 71.  Norway's major newspaper, Aftenposten, once praised him as being the best U.S. Ambassador they ever had.

I love his tribute to Einar Strand.  It was an honor that deeply touched my Bestefar.