Ray "Neil" Solveson
Ray “Neil” Solveson, born September 13, 1920 died Thursday, October 25, 2012 at the Plum City Care Center with his family at his side.
Neil, the second child of Ray and Alice Solveson, was born and grew up on the family farm in Union Township, 3 miles west of Plum City, WI. He graduated from the (then) River Falls Teacher’s College, with majors in agriculture and mathematics. After memorizing the eye chart, he joined the Army Air Corps with his brother Keith and served as navigator on the “Lucky Lady”, a B-17 bomber during WWII. He flew over 30 combat missions, including D-Day, with the 351st Bombardment Group based in Ridgewell, England. He was then assigned as an instructor at Albuquerque, N.M., where he met Ruth Foltz. After a six week courtship they were married on December 5th, 1945 at her parent’s home in Wyola, MT.
Neil and Ruth milked Holsteins and farmed as they raised their five children on160 acres of good land between Plum City and Ono/Grange Hall. He was a life-long member of the Ono Methodist Church and a 60 plus year member of American Legion Post 365 in Plum City, WI.
After Ruth’s death in 1991, Neil married Geri Stenerson, and continued to live on the farm where he raised a few cattle and some pigs and was always repairing farm equipment and anything that needed fixing. After a severe stroke in 2003 he moved “to town”, to live in Plum City.
The Wisconsin Towns Association recognized Neil for 50 years of service, as he served first as treasurer and later as clerk of the Town of Union. Neil was honored for 33 years of service as a Director, Agent and Treasurer of the Stockholm Town Mutual Insurance Company upon his retirement from the Company in 2004.
In addition to his five children; Carol (Bill) Langford, Bobbie Solveson, Mike Solveson, Keith Solveson (Denise), and Peg Solveson; Neil’s is survived by his sister Arlene Ebensperger of Plum City, his brother Duane Solveson (Rosie) of Elmwood, WI; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
His parents preceded him in death, as did his older brother Robert Keith Solveson who died as a bombardier in WWII and his wives Ruth and Geri.