Obituary : Susan A. (Soldin) Thorsheim

Susan Alice (Soldin) Thorsheim, age 84, passed away peacefully on February 10, 2020. She was born April 12, 1935 the youngest of five children on a farm in Cambridge, Minnesota to Elmer and Florence Soldin.

At birth, Susan was named ‘Alice Gertrude’ but her siblings protested and decided to call her ‘Susie’ instead when she arrived home from the hospital. Upon turning 18, she went to the Cambridge town hall and officially changed her name to Susan Alice Soldin.

Upon graduating from Cambridge High School, she attended Gustavus Adolphus College on a scholarship and graduated in 1957 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She became a high school English teacher in Minneapolis for several years before she married Duane Thorsheim and had two sons, Chris and Mark.

Her family lived in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, along with Des Plaines and Sherman, Illinois before moving to Marlboro, New Jersey in 1972. She resided for over 46 years in Marlboro and Freehold, New Jersey before moving in 2018 to BrightView Senior Living in Norwalk, Connecticut.

After raising her two sons, Susan worked in the publishing business with Greater Media Newspapers in Freehold and New Brunswick, New Jersey. Prior to and during retirement, she excelled as a grandmother to six grandchildren. She hosted many family dinners and sleepovers, furnishing her guests with homemade pies, cookies, brownies and other homemade treats she was known for baking. She was an avid reader and never missed a chance to play a game of any sort with her family and friends. She enjoyed participating in book, bridge and Mahjong clubs for many years.

It is believed that she ‘unofficially’ holds the record for attending the most youth, high school and college soccer matches of any mother and grandmother. Some of her happiest times included returning to the Midwest to visit extended family, friends and attend events, including summertime picnics at Spectacle Lake in Cambridge, Minnesota where a small, family gathering will be held in her honor this summer.

She is survived by her son Chris Thorsheim of Manalapan, New Jersey, his wife Lori and their children Chelsea, Chris, Jenny and Matt, along with her son Mark Thorsheim of New Canaan, Connecticut, his wife Margot and their children Max and Ben. She is also survived by her former husband Duane Thorsheim of Stevensville, Montana.

She was predeceased by her parents and siblings, Beryl (Soldin) Gerth, Bud Soldin, Jean (Soldin) Johnson and Jim Soldin. In addition to mourning the loss of Susan, we mourn the end of that generation which humbly led by example as wonderful parents, grandparents, siblings and friends.

The Hoyt-Cognetta / Raymond Funeral Home 5 East Wall Street in Historic Norwalk has been entrusted with arrangements. Please visit www.norwalkfh.com to leave an online condolence for the family.