Richard LeRoy Soderlind, 90, of Grand Marais and Tampa, Florida, died Thursday, January 7 after a twoyear battle with esophageal cancer.
Dick was born on August 30, 1925 in Minneapolis to Helmer and Ellen Matilda (Olsson) Soderlind and attended Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1942. He served in the Army Air Force during the Korean War and married his childhood sweetheart, Helen Wellumson, in a military ceremony.
After being discharged he built a home in South Minneapolis while earning an engineering degree at the University of Minnesota and starting a family. He worked for Honeywell for 15 years, then spent the rest of his career as a consulting engineer, finally finishing his career as a safety engineer for Wagner Spray Tech. He served many additional years as an expert witness for paint sprayer lawsuits across the country.
After retiring in 1987 he purchased a home in Grand Marais, where he enjoyed skiing, biking, golfing and spending time outdoors. He soon married lifelong friend, Lee MacMillan, of Tampa, Florida, and they became snowbirds, enjoying winters in Florida and summers in Grand Marais. After Lee’s death in 2000, Dick began volunteering at the Johnson Heritage Post on Saturdays during the summer. Before long he discovered Eileen Thiers, Lee’s close friend, who has been his soulmate and dancing partner for the past 15 years.
Dick was a positive, warm man who biked, golfed, and danced nearly every day. He was an enthusiastic hugger, as anyone who has enjoyed his affections would know. He regularly hugged his doctors and nurses at Mayo, and in assisted living this past year he often set off his emergency beeper with an enthusiastic hug.
Dick is survived by his life partner, Eileen Thiers; sons Steven (Ann), David and Paul, and daughters Ann Mershon (Jerry Wilkes) and Laura Gillund (Rob). He is also survived by 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at the Cremation Society in Edina on February 6. Memorials can be made to the Johnson Heritage Post or the American Cancer Society.
Leave a Reply