Ina (Olson) Stordahl, age 97, of Thief River Falls passed away peacefully at the Thief River Care Center on June 16, 2020.
The memorial service to celebrate Ina’s life will be scheduled for a later date.
Ina Annetta Olson, youngest child of Martin Olson and Bergit Solberg Olson, was born November 8, 1922 in Roseau. She was baptized and confirmed at the Moe Lutheran Church in Roseau. Ina attended grade school at Rural School District 51 in Jadis Township. She graduated from Roseau High School in 1939. Her favorite subjects in high school were typing, shorthand, and bookkeeping and when reflecting on her schooling would comment on the excellent teachers she had.
After graduating from high school, Ina’s first job was at the Roseau County Farmers Cooperative Machine Works as a bookkeeper and office manager. Word soon got out in Roseau about Ina’s office and organizational skills and since she was just the kind of employee Art Stordahl needed for his recently started company Stordahl Truck Lines, he wasted no time in hiring her as his company’s Accountant and secretary. Her employment with Stordahl Truck Lines would become her life-long career as she worked as its office manager for 45 years.
Ina married Arthur Stordahl on December 25, 1941, at the Olson family home in rural Roseau. This loving union was a lasting one that was to be until Art’s death in 2011. Ina and Art lived in Roseau until 1950 when they moved to Thief River Falls, with their two young sons, Ron and Bob.
Ina and Art were long-time members of Zion Lutheran Church and Ina was active in several of its women’s groups and choir for several years.
Music was enjoyed by Ina throughout her life and one could often hear her playing the piano or organ and singing in her living room. Ina and her husband Art, who was a talented accordion player, frequently provided musical entertainment for residents at retirement and care facilities and also at a number of special programs in Northern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada, where they had a cabin on Clearwater Lake.
Ina loved flowers – especially geraniums – and she and Art planted many flowers together at their lake cabin and at their home. Ina was a kind, loving, encouraging, and generous person who had an endearing smile and a wonderfully fun sense of humor. She was a woman of faith and she loved her family. She will be dearly missed by family and friends.
Ina is survived by her two sons: Ronald Stordahl of Thief River Falls and Robert Stordahl and wife Sandi of Austin, TX; granddaughter, Kelsey and husband Erin Kelly of Muldoon, TX; grandson, Lee Stordahl and wife Alain of Austin, TX; six great grandchildren: Kaycie, Kyndahl, Karlee, Kerina, Kamryn Ina, and Joe Kelly of Muldoon, TX; and several nieces and nephews. Ina was preceded in death by her husband, Art; parents, Martin and Bergit; brothers: Russell, Arnold, Curtis and Oliver; and sister, Myrtle.