John Martin Solensten

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Solensten, John Martin died on September 17th the day after his 91st birthday. He loved his family deeply, and he loved literature, music, and art. In addition to teaching literature, John was a prize-winning regional author, publishing novels, short stories, plays, and poems. He completed his final publication, a memoir, WATONWAN: A MINNESOTA BOY'S LIFE in 2019. Copies are available at no cost in the Concordia University library. In death, John joins his parents, Martin and Agnes Ulvestad Solensten, his son Peter, his three sisters - Charlotte, Marian, and Margaret and brother Harold. After graduating from Madelia High School in 1947, John earned a degree in economics at Gustavus Adolphus College. Serving in the U.S. Army in Korea, he earned a Bronze Star in 1952 for valor and for his unique service as a liaison to the UN Turkish division. Continuing his education while teaching high school English, he earned a doctorate in American Studies at Bowling Green State University in 1968. He taught American literature at Mankato State University in the 1970s and, after a brief stint as a writer at IDS in Minneapolis, taught at the Concordia University in St. Paul, also serving as Director of Humanities. In 1994 John retired, joining his beloved Brenda Daly in Ames, IA. He enjoyed pheasant hunting with his brother Hal, son Peter, and grandson Grant in South Dakota and Minnesota. Returning with Brenda to Minnesota in 2008, he loved the company of his family, daughter Peggy Solensten (Bailey), daughter-in-law Becky Solensten (Brittany and Grant), son Steve Daly (Ray and Maria), and his partner Shannon Otterdahl (Payton, Trevor, and Max). A celebration of his life will be announced later. GILLBROTHERS.com BLOOMINGTON, MN 952-888-7771

Published on September 27, 2020