Ruth Aina (Johnson) Solberg

ISHPEMING, MI – Ruth Aina (Johnson) Solberg, was born in Foster City, Michigan, on July 13, 1933, to Rudolph and Aina Johnson. She died on July 25, 2021, in Lansing, Michigan. She was 88 years old.

Ruth married Roger Solberg, of Felch, Michigan, on January 2, 1954, in Foster City, and they were married for 67 years, until the time of her death. After they were married, they moved to East Lansing, Michigan, while Roger pursued a degree at Michigan State University. They returned to Ishpeming, Michigan, where they lived and raised their family.

At the time of her death, Ruth had been living in East Lansing, Michigan, with her husband and daughter, Debbie. She was a loving mother to her four children, her seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Ruth was widely loved by a large extended family of nieces, nephews, and cousins, across the U.S. and in her family’s home country of Sweden.

Ruth is survived by her husband, Roger, her daughters: Debbie (Nault), Nancy (Lumley), and Becky (Minor), as well as her grandchildren: Jeanine, Blake, Jessie, Bret, Sofia & Anderson, as well as all of her great-grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers: Roger, Robert, and Roy, her son: David Solberg, and her grandson: Justin Nault.

Throughout her life, Ruth was active in her community, particularly at Bethany Lutheran Church in Ishpeming, Michigan, where she and Roger were pillars of the congregation for decades. Ruth was devoted to her Lutheran faith, and instilled in her family the values of heritage, service, integrity, dignity, and stewardship.

Those who knew and loved her best remember Ruth as kind, sweet, generous, and always ready with a hug. She was the epitome of style, wearing just the right outfit for every occasion. Ruth was at her happiest when surrounded by her family, celebrating holidays, birthdays, graduations, marriages, and births. She loved to travel, particularly to visit her family all across the country. She had a musical ear, and often delighted her friends and family with spontaneous songs on the piano or accordion. She enjoyed a good meal, and loved to cheer on her favorite sports teams, often listening to Green Bay Packer or Michigan State Spartan games on her handheld radio.

Ruth loved to play a game of cards with her grandkids, having an undefeated winning streak against them, no matter how young or old they may be!

The family will greet relatives and friends from 9:00 am to 11:00 am, on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at Bethany Lutheran Church, in Ishpeming. Funeral services will immediately follow at 11:00 am, with Rev. Doug Holmgren officiating. The funeral will be livestreamed on Bethany Lutheran’s Facebook page, facebook.com/715 Mather/. A luncheon will follow the service in the Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bay Cliff Health Camp (baycliff.org or PO Box 310, Big Bay, MI 49808) or Bethany Lutheran Church.