Joye Marilyn (Forsman) Soderberg

Joye Marilyn Soderberg passed away on July 28, 2017 at Boundary Waters Care Center in Ely, Minnesota. She was born on January 27, 1929 in Ely, MN to Emil and Lillian Forsman.
 
Joye was a lifelong resident of Ely and graduated from Memorial High School in 1946. She attended Ely Junior College where she studied business services. Joye married Norman A. Soderberg of Soudan Minnesota in November 1947. Joye and Norm lived in Ely throughout their marriage, raising four children.
 
Joye was a working woman all of her life, from jointly operating Sody’s Soda shop in the 1950’s to various jobs in local businesses, from retail jobs to cleaning homes for people. She began working for Don Beland’s Canoe Outfitters in 1970 and stayed with the business as Office Manager as it changed to Tom and Woods’ Moose Lake Wilderness Canoe Trips, retiring in 1995. From this career, Joye developed friends around the country who continued to seek her out as they returned to the Ely area. Even as she worked her various jobs, she raised her family to love fishing, hunting, berry picking, and travel. Joye was extremely proud of her Finnish heritage and her skill at making Finnish biscuit was known to all of her family and friends. Joye and Norm were well known for the assistance that they provided to Boy Scouts and other travelers who needed a hand.
 
Joye was a community volunteer of the highest order, passing on to her children the need to help friends, neighbors, and the community in general. She was a dedicated member of the American Legion Auxiliary, the Ladies of Kaleva, Moose Lodge, Rebekah Lodge, Grace Lutheran Church, and a variety of other community organizations, particularly the Class of 1946. Joye also was known for helping out her older friends who needed help in their lives, delivering Meals on Wheels and transporting people for shopping and errands, as well as delivering apples to teachers, giving out the Legion Auxiliary scholarship at graduation, and showing her patriotism for her country. She and her American Legion Auxiliary partners could be seen every year offering Poppies outside the local grocery stores. Her service should be a lesson to those who follow.
 
Joye was preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Lillian Forsman, her husband Norm in 1985, her brothers Dale and Dana Forsman, and her beloved sister, June Muczynski.
 
Joye is survived by four children, son Kurt and his wife Barbara of Ely and their daughter, Erin (Greg) Downing of Minneapolis; and son Terry and his wife Amy of Ely and their children, Gail (Andy) Guck of Grand Rapids, MN and Jay Soderberg of Shenandoah, IA. Her daughters are Patti Buffington of Ely and her children Kevin (Lisa) Marolt of Ely, Kim (Chris) Hendrickson of North Mankato, and Kristi (Jeff) Mitchell of Duluth; and Nancy Przybylski and her husband Barry of Vadnais Heights, MN, and their children Zack of Winona and Alex of Lawrence KS. Among the children there are nine treasured great-grandchildren, Milla, Ruby, and Henry Downing, Bailey Potter, Andrew and Owen Marolt, Tyler and Ryan Hendrickson, and Niko Mitchell. She is also survived by a brother-in-law, Roy Soderberg of Soudan and sister-in-law, Mildred Cooley of Ely, as well as many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
 
Her funeral will be held at 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 9th at Grace Lutheran Church in Ely with visitation with family and friends beginning at 10:00 am. Lunch will be served in the church basement after the service – good food that would please Joye. Please also consider wearing something purple to celebrate Joye’s favorite color.
 
Memorials are preferred to the Ely American Legion Auxiliary, 43 E. Pattison St, Ely, MN 55731 for the benefit of the Apples for the Teacher program, Girls State, and the annual Scholarship given to a High School student based upon a patriotic essay.
 
Her family deeply thanks the Boundary Waters Care Center and staff, as well as the staff at Carefree Living – Ely, for the excellent care given to Joye during her last three years. The care and concern that always was shown toward Joye is touching.
 
Arrangements entrusted to Kerntz Funeral Home in Ely, Minnesota.
 
 
 

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