Helen Sjodin

It is with deep sadness that the family announces the passing of Helen Sjodin, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt, on November 2, 2012, at LifeCare Roseau Manor after a short illness.

Helen was born on August 9, 1928, in Salol, MN where she lived until leaving to attend high school in Superior, Wisconsin. For her senior year of high school, she moved to Moorhead, MN to help an ill cousin with her children. There she met and married her first husband, Sam Dahlgren, and they had one child, Sandra. Helen worked for several years as a Bell Telephone Operator in Langdon, ND.

In 1956 Helen returned to Roseau and married her childhood sweetheart, Ervin Sjodin, in 1957. They were married for 44 years, lived in Salol, and had two children, Patty and Iven. Helen also worked at Polaris and Marvins before taking a permanent disability for her severe arthritis around the age of 40. In 2001, Helen moved to an apartment in Warroad after Ervin passed away. In 2005, Helen moved into the new Oak Crest Senior Housing in Roseau where she enjoyed having so many wonderful friendships with her neighbors and the staff.

Helen’s favorite pastime was socializing. She loved making new friends, visiting, entertaining with parties and family functions. She had a terrific sense of humor and her friends and family have many fond memories of the fun events she hosted. Traveling was next on Helen’s favorites list and she had lots of opportunities to visit many different cities and areas that her siblings and children lived in. Even when driving was no longer possible for her, she made her way around Roseau on her scooter and did not like to miss out on chances to visit and participate in events.

Helen had great respect for the field of medicine and the doctors who treated her rheumatoid arthritis over the years. Special thanks go out to her doctor, Dr. Bryon VandeWege, and the kind staff at Roseau Manor who attended to her so carefully in her last days. Her final requests included donating her body to medical science.

Helen leaves to mourn, her children, Sandra Lintz of Burnsville, MN, Patty (Mitch) Gobeil of South Junction, Manitoba, and Iven (Joyce) Sjodin of Soldotna, Alaska; grandsons, Brandon (Lisa) Garet, Preston and Bryce (Ashley); four great-granddaughters; brothers, Ray and Earl; sister, Betty (John) Spina; sister-in-law, Pearl Dahl; many nieces, nephews and friends.

Helen was preceded in death by her mother and father, Seth and Margaret Olson; brother, Abel; sister, Ethel and Rita; and husbands, Sam Dahlgren and Ervin Sjodin.

A memorial service for Helen was held on Friday, November 9, 2012 in Salol Lutheran Church at Salol, MN. Interment will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery at Minneapolis with Husband, Ervin.

Memorial donations may be made to East Borderland Community Housing, Box 207, Sprague, MB, Canada R0A 1Z0, or to a charity of the donor’s choice.