Marie Solveig (Andersen) Hovland
Marie Hovland Obituary
Marie Solveig Hovland, 89, loving mother, wife, aunt and friend passed away on October 17th, 2021. A Funeral Service has been planned for Friday December 10th, 2021 in the Rose Room Chapel of Croxford Funeral Home at 11AM; procession to Highland Cemetery to follow service.
Marie was born on December 8th, 1931 in Great Falls, MT to A.P and Gladys Andersen; She was the youngest of three children. Grade school was a one room schoolhouse 1 mile from their home before attending Great Falls High School, where she graduated in 1950. Marie went on to attend a Danish junior college in Denmark with her older brother Viggo, returning to the states she then attended Grand View college in Des Moines, Iowa. A.P wouldn’t let Marie get an Agriculture degree, so she went on to graduate from M.S.U in Bozeman with a B.S in Home Economics. After college, she did an extension internship with Claire DelGuerra in Havre, where she worked full time on the home ranch with her folks and trainees from around the world.
Marie was a proud Danish-Norwegian American, she was a very active member of the Sons of Norway. It was during a meeting; she met her future husband Einar Hovland, much to the disgust of her father who wanted her to marry a Dane. Marie’s father was on the local draft board, so Einar was drafted to Korea to hopefully break them up. His plan didn’t work as when Einar returned, they got engaged and married on June 8th, 1957. Son, Sigurd was born on May 21st, 1959 and a daughter, Elena on September 25th, 1960. After A.P passed away suddenly, they moved back to the family operation in 1960 and formed a partnership, later becoming a corporation with Marie’s brother Viggo. Einar and Marie traveled all around the world attending meetings, seeing family and relaxing through the years. Einar passed away suddenly on July 13th, 1990; The couple shared 33 years together.
In 1998, Marie and Elena bought a ranch near Dupuyer and learned to ranch with grizzly bears. They eventually moved back to the Great Falls area to care for family and slow down with a smaller operation. Marie was active through the years with the Great Falls Symphony, YWCA board of directors, Sons of Norway, Wheat Hearts, Redeemer Lutheran Church, American Scandinavian Foundation, International Agriculture Exchange Association (IAEA), Ag in the Classroom, Eastern Star Victory Chapter 86 in Conrad, Cascade County Cattlewomen, Montana Cattlewomen, Agri-Women, Fort Shaw Homemakers, Judging at the Montana State Fair (4-H and Food in the Family Living Building), teaching Scandinavian baking and food, Farmers Union, Ulm Community Dinners, Wedding/Event planning, Sun River Valley Historical Society besides being a full time rancher. Marie loved her animals and riding her Appaloosa gelding Spirit until he passed away at the age of 27.
Hobbies included sewing, cross-stitching, collecting Barbie dolls and dolls from around the world, stamp collecting, painting, hunting trips, camping trips and holidays with the Madsen-Grosen clans, reading, gardening, raising llamas and alpacas along with many other kids of animals.
Entertaining, having friends/family over to stay and /or for meals was her greatest joy. Saturday night waffle dinners were a weekly ritual, Marie loved to bake, and her Danish pastry was the best.
Marie was a caring person, whose smile and kindness welcomed all to her home.
Marie was preceded in death by her loving husband Einar Hovland; parents A.P and Gladys Andersen; sister Karen Andersen-Mullineaux and brother Viggo Andersen.
She is survived by her son Sigurd (Stacey) Hovland; daughter Elena (John) Stuker; grandchildren Karsten (Echo) Hovland, Katie (Chris) Roberts, J.L (Dorota) Stuker and Joel (Melissa) Stuker; great grandchildren Alexandra Roberts, Isabella Stuker and Danielle Stuker; extended family Dr. Elizabeth Grosen, Johannes Grosen, Mark Grosen, Marie Grosen-Stoddard, Rebecca Madsen-Trippet, Paul Madsen and Kris Madsen, along with their families.
Memorials can be sent to Sons of Norway P.O Box 6867 Great Falls, MT 59406, Eastern Star Victory Chapter #86 314 S.Wisconsin Conrad, MT 59425 or Sun River Historical Society P.O Box 155 Sun River, MT 59483
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