Margaret Soderling

margaret soderling

Margaret Soderling, 81, passed away swiftly and silently "back home" on Thursday, February 10, 2011 surrounded by her loving husband and children.  She died after a brief illness in Sanford Medical Center.

Margaret S. Ermer was born on January 15, 1930 at the family farmstead in Walhalla to George and Margaret Ermer.  She grew up in the Midwestern farming way, tending to livestock and doing chores.

She moved to Fargo in her early 20's to start her new life.  She began working at the Manchester Building in Fargo.  Working in the produce department at Dahl's SUPERVALU she met the love of her life, Rollin "Rollie" Soderling.  They married May 4, 1955 at St. Anthony's Church in Fargo, sharing almost 56 faithful years to each other.

She gave birth to 4 children and stayed at home to raise them until their late teenage years.  Back at work once again at Hornbacher's Express, she started in the bakery department and moved to wrapping meat in the meat department where she was fondly known to many as "the meat lady" offering advice to all.

Margaret was a loving grandma, always making memories and traditions for her family and her grandchildren to "remember her."  An incredible cook and masterful baker, she created meals with a "pinch of this and a bit of that."

Christmas and Easter were especially wonderful as she gathered her grandchildren to decorate her specialty "All of Annie's" cookies with frosting and sprinkles.  To her delight she watched them spill and artfully make the cookies their own.  A lasting photo of their one great-grandchild munching one of "grandma's" cookies now ensures the generational value. 

Margaret and Rollie would make a tradition of Easter with their own "Easter Egg Hunt" of hidden treat filled plastic eggs.  These hunts were sometimes outdoors but mostly indoors with adults cheering them on.

In her later years, she was plagued by diabetes and knees that did not hold up after many years of walking 5 miles a day.

Her loving husband, Rollie, was her stalwart administering her meds and taking over the household duties including cooking!  He never wavered from the total assistance she needed, insisting they stay at their living community at One Oak Place.  The example he set for us marks the true meaning of the marriage vows they took over 55 years ago.

She is survived by her husband, Rollin "Rollie" Soderling; daughters, Deb (Tom) McShane, Pam (Mark) Werlinger; sons, Mike Soderling and Randy (Vickie) Soderling; sister, Eileen Mitzel, Valley City; and sister-in-law, Til Tellinghuisen.

Her grandchildren, Patrick, Daniel, Lee, Brandon, Kelsey, Stephanie, and Matthew filled her memory with wonderful moments, and one great grandchild, Hailey, delighted with photos and stories even though great distance separated them.

Drifting back to days "back home" on the farm in recent months, we let her go on Thursday back into the waiting arms of her mother, father and 11 siblings.

She will be deeply and heartfully missed.  May she rest in peace in heaven, which she certainly earned.

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  1. Rollie, I have so many great memories working at Jim’s and Super Valu Express with you and Margaret. I will always remember Margaret eating so healthy and giving us a hard time for not eating well. She will be greatly missed, I am so glad I had the opportunity to know her.

  2. Fargo North Dakota
    Prayers and continual thoughts are with you Deb, Tom, Pat, Dan, and family. Our deepest sympathy,
    Cheryl, Mike, Peyton & Drew Lausch

  3. Chaska MN
    Dear Rollie and Family. We wish to express our sincere condolences upon Margaret’s passing. (Roger is a Fargo South kid who worked at Dahl’s and who graduated with Pam.) Your friends far and wide are holding you all up in prayer. God bless your family time this week, and God bless the memory of Margaret.


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