Olga Amanda Solem (1886-1950)

Olga Amanda Solem (1886-1950)
Born	October 31, 1886 Namsos, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway
Died	March 12, 1950 Duluth, St. Louis, Minnesota
Resting place	Duluth, St. Louis, Minnesota
Father	Oluf Martin Arntsen
Mother	Anna Bolethe Olsdatter
Husband	Lars Angel Thorsen
Children	Ruth Helen Thorsen Lloyd Arthur Thorsen Lorraine Marion Thorsen

Olga Amanda Solem was born in Klinga, Nord-Trøndelag, Norway on October 31, 1986. Her father was Oluf Martin Arntsen and her mother was Anna Bolethe Olsdatter. She had one older sister who died young, and two younger brothers, Olaf and Oskar. She was raised in a hilly farming area near a large river which was used to float lumber down to the sawmills. She may have also raised sheep there as well.

Olga left for America in 1906. Her brother wrote of the event:

"We arose early and I rowed the boat to Namsos for Olga to catch the ferry. As my sister stepped up on to the dock, I recalled that that was the last time I would ever see my sister again."

Olga came to America to relatives in North Dakota where she attended nurses school after working a short time as a servant for a family. She graduated in 1913 from the Northwood Deaconess hospital nursing school of Northwood, North Dakota. She practiced nursing there from 1913 to 1916. Eventually, she moved to Duluth met Lars Thorsen to whom she became acquainted with and married in 1914.

Olga was was 63 when she died. She had lived in Duluth for 35 years. Olga was a member of the First Lutheran church and the Division 2, Women's assembly of the church. She also was a member of the Daughters of Norway.

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