Gaylord Solem

Gaylord Solem, 87, of Oslo, MN, died six months to-the-day after his wife, Patty, departing this life on September 2, 2024, in Lutheran Sunset Home of Grafton, ND.

Gaylord was born on June 23, 1937, to William and Esther (Olson) Solem. Raised on the family farm seven miles south of Oslo, he was a near-lifelong resident and loved his hometown and its people. Prior to graduating in 1955, Gaylord took a job with Dahlstrom motors, cleaning cars. Moving up the ladder, he began working full time in 1956, and sold his first car in 1957. By his retirement in 2017, Gaylord was the longest-serving Chevrolet salesman in the country, making around 26,000 sales by his estimate. While he enjoyed cars (even closing sales from the nursing home), Gaylord's main concern were the people: he loved getting to know new ones, learning about their lives and swapping stories and jokes, especially jokes about Ole & Lena.

While work made up an important part of Gaylord's life, family came first. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Patty Michalski, on his 19th birthday, June 23, 1956, in St. Joseph Catholic Church. He kept the same schedule for 60-plus years, heading the eight blocks to work but always coming home for lunch with his wife. Never one to sit still, much of his free time was spent attending every sporting event for his five children (and later, grandchildren), keeping the yard and his flower gardens “just so,” and golfing, hunting, or fishing in season. He truly enjoyed providing for his family and many memories were made playing cards, watching the Twins and Vikings, decorating extensively for Christmas, and making casino trips with Patty. As the years carried on, the two moved out of Oslo to both East Grand Forks (Good Samaritan- Heritage Grove) and Mesa, AZ. They returned to the Red River Valley in 2021, living their final years in a shared room at the Lutheran Sunset Home.

Gaylord will be remembered for his generosity, loyalty, affability, contagious smile, and yes, for the many vehicles sold because of his care for friend and stranger.

He is survived by children, Tony (Cynthia) Solem, Bill (Kim) Solem, Kathy Solem, Sally (Milton) Gowan, and Larry Solem (Traci Daley); 14 grandchildren, Aaron (Caitlyn) and Cameron (Kayla) Solem, Tom (Tera) and Casey Solem (Jelayne Shelton), Michael and Billy (Bree) Boppre, Larissa (Cody) Zeman, Landon Swallow (Madison Bear), Ryan (Cierra) Swallow, Rachelle Swallow, Michael (Allie) Gowan, and Megan (Andrew) Happel, Cassandra (Logan) Dachtler and Nick Solem; 20 great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Darlene Solem.

In addition to his wife, Patty, Gaylord was preceded in death by all of his siblings, Donald (Aileen), Ralph, and Elton (Irene) Solem, and Ila (Almore) Lind.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Friday, September 6, 2024, 3:30 PM, in Zion Lutheran Church of Oslo, MN.
VISITATION: Before the funeral, starting at 2:00 PM.
SHARED INTERMENT: with Patty in Riverside Cemetery, Oslo, MN.

To watch a video of Gaylord's funeral service, please click the link: Gaylord Solem Funeral Service