Joanne R. (Smith) Solmonson

Joanne R. Solmonson, age 92, of Glenwood, MN, died peacefully on Monday, March 27, 2023, at home surrounded by family following a brief illness. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 30th, followed by a short prayer service at 7 p.m. at Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. Inurnment will take place this summer at Oakwood Cemetery in Mora. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Joanne Ruth Smith, daughter of Walter E. and Amy E. (Smith) Smith, was born on May 20, 1930, in Mora, MN. The fifth of eight children, Joanne grew up on a farm near Mora. She was a baptized and confirmed member of Emmanuel Baptist Church. She attended country school and then Mora public school, graduating with the Mora High School class of 1948. After high school, Joanne completed an accounting program at Minneapolis Business College, where she got involved in extra-curricular activities including softball and bowling.

On October 3, 1953, Joanne was united in marriage to George Melvin Solmonson, Jr. in Mora. This marriage was blessed with four children, Steven, Michael, Vickie and Dean. After their marriage, the couple moved to Gaylord, where George worked for Utility Gas. In 1966, the family moved to Glenwood where George had purchased an ownership interest in Town-Country Gas Co. Joanne also worked at the gas company doing the bookkeeping and later, after George sold his interest in Town-County, she did the accounting for the gas appliance repair business that George operated out of their home. Joanne and George shared 56 years of marriage before his death in February of 2010.

Joanne was a member of the Eastern Star, the American Legion Auxiliary and First Baptist Church in Glenwood. She was a past member of the Glenwood School Board and she served as a poll worker for many years. She enjoyed reading, knitting, and putting together jigsaw puzzles. She spent countless hours looking out her living room window watching and feeding the birds in her yard, and contemplating how to outwit the pesky squirrels that were determined to clean out her birdfeeder. She participated in league bowling for many years and when she was younger she liked to fish and hunt with George. In recent years she looked forward to regular visits from her dear friends Sherri and Deb.

Joanne will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and as an active and contributing member of the community. May her memory be blessed.

Joanne is survived by her children, Mike (Jody) Solmonson of Big Lake, AK, Steve (Sherry) Solmonson of Yadkinville, NC, Vickie (Terry) O’Brien of Pillager, Dean (Jill) Solmonson of Starbuck; 11 grandchildren, Tanis Hesser, Nathan Joiner, Aimee Rapoport, Kaitlin Reed, Dustin Solmonson, Kent Solmonson, Lindsay Solmonson, Molly Hoffmann, Michael Solmonson, Randee O'Brien, and Katya Preston; 18 great-grandchildren (with 2 more due soon), Dylan, Kristin, Sidney, Layla, Allison, Sawyer, Benjamin, Hunter, Nash, Carson, Bentley, Elias, Lucas, Jackson, Knox, Henry, Scout and Harley; one sister, Mary Brisse of Washington; along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Amy Smith; her husband, George; three brothers, Kent, Lynn, and Robert Smith; three sisters, Shirley Kawalek, Betty Akkerman, and Peggy Norby.

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