Okland To Be Featured At Alexander’s 66th Annual Old Settlers Day Celebration

Solveig Okland, longtime resident of Alexander, now of Polson, MT, will be featured this year at Alexander’s 66th Annual Old Settlers Day celebration Thursday, Sept. 1 through Saturday, Sept. 3.

Events start Thursday, Sept. 1 with the bonfire at 7 p.m. and the burying of the beef.

Friday’s events begin with the Chili Cookoff from 3-7 p.m. Gather around for the Old Time Music by “Wes and the Sidewinders” playing in the fire hall.

The main events start Saturday from 8-11 a.m. with registration in the park.

The parade down Main Street begins at 11 a.m.

Be sure to purchase your button which entitles you the beef barbecue at noon in the park.

A program honoring Okland will be in the park at 1 p.m.

There will be a Kids Carnival, Karaoke and fun and games.

“Singing Star DJ with Trudi” will be providing the entertainment for the street dance from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Solveig Aasen Okland came into this world Sept. 25, 1929, as the only daughter born to Ole and Ragna Aasen. The house she was born in is still standing directly across the street from the Alexander museum. Ole made his home in Alexander after emigrating from Norway. Meanwhile, Ragna had moved to the area from Wisconsin. Ole and Ragna met while working at Fuller Dry Goods. Later, they would marry after Ole served in WWI. Together, they had five children including Lynn, Charles, Solveig, Ronnie and Carson.

Today, Solveig’s memories of growing up in Alexander are considered nothing less than a wonderful gift. She cherishes many adventures from her childhood, including swimming at Jackson, Fallon and Jacobson dams. A particular day at Jacobson Dam rewarded her with the worst sunburn of her life – Ragna was furious! Another popular place for recreation was Lonesome Creek (Slaughter House) where summers were spent swimming and winter days entertained with ice skating surrounded by family and friends. Because four wheeled transportation was limited in those days, they walked everywhere . . . . . especially to the Ragged Butte north of Alexander where many hours were spent just hanging out or riding horses owned by Vonnie Wold’s uncle, Clayton Rogers. If Solveig couldn’t discover ways to pass the time in the countryside, there were plenty of things going on in town. Alexander was bustling in Solveig’s youth. In those days, there were two banks, a drugstore, department store, dry goods store, hardware store, hotel, restaurant, gas station, implement dealer, post office, hat store, grocery store and a livery stable. As well, Paul Wold was the local attorney and had an office where Solveig purchased her first driver’s license for $5 and no test! Any business location was a place to meet friends and talk about the day’s high points and low points.

As the years passed, Solveig received her education by attending Alexander elementary school and high school. She later discovered a love for music and basketball. Each played a big part in her teen years. Her passion for music caused her to join in a sextet with Joann Wold Manchester, Katherine Melland Paschke, Edith Winden Fjelstad, Ethel Winden Henneberg and Vonnie Hett Wold. This experience was so rewarding that, even after high school, they continued singing together for special occasions, including school reunions. Solveig played forward position in basketball; her favorite highlight is winning the 1946 State Championship which was held in the big city of Bismarck. One of Solveig’s high school friends, Donald Wold, had a little pickup – she remembers many good times tooling around the area in that pickup and having to push start it uphill at the Jacobson Dam.

After graduating from high school, Solveig attended Trinity School of Nursing, Minot, for two years. Following school, she moved back to western North Dakota where she was employed for about a year at Mercy Hospital, Williston. While there, she met Bernard (Ben) Okland who had come to visit his hospitalized father, Thomas Okland. Their interest in one another initiated a first date which included an evening of dancing. Dating and romance continued for a year and on March 27, 1950, they were married.

Bernard (Ben) Okland was born on Jan. 17, 1923 to Inga and Thomas Okland. Ben would later purchase land from his father and earn his livelihood farming south of Alexander. Ben and Solveig lived on their farm until approximately 1952 when they purchased a home in Alexander. The “home” was at one time the Alexander Hospital where Dr. Rogers practiced. The residence soon became a morning meeting place for Solveig and her lady friends as well as the “meter man” Jim Neer. Over the years, 20 in all, the home was blessed with the tears and laughter of seven wonderful children. They include Ben, deceased (Pam), Dirk (Kathy), Verdal, MN, Carolyn (Roger) Friesz, Idaho Falls, ID , David, Polson, MT, Marilyn (Wade) Frame, Polson, MT, Debbie, Alexander, ND, and Chris (Andrea) Anchorage, AK. The next generation consists of 10 grandchildren.

Even after moving into town, farming played a large role in Ben and Solveig’s life until 1969. It was then that Ben leased the land to Keith Olsen. Today, Keith and his son Kurt are still farming the Okland acres. Along with farming, Ben was a talented carpenter. He found himself building many homes in McKenzie County including the Morris Cross home and the Bob Chitwood home. The Catholic Church in Watford City was also added to his carpentry portfolio. As a man recognized for his character, Ben would later become the administrator for the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home, Watford City.

Ben and Solveig were very active in the community. Ben served on the school board, and was very active in the church. Because music was a common interest of both Ben and Solveig, they often found themselves singing at church. Solveig was involved with the PTA as well as many other activities involving her children. Many of the Okland children’s friends called Solveig “Mom” and enjoyed her laughter and fun. Solveig spent many hours swimming and snowmobiling with her children. The Okland home became a meeting place for many of the kid’s friends; often, the boys and their friends were treated to meals of hamburgers or steaks before or after the football and basketball games. As well as being a stay at home mom, Solveig prepared and hauled hundreds of meals to Ben and their hired men on their farm 19 miles south of Alexander. Ben, Solveig and their growing family enjoyed the Alexander lifestyle until 1972 when Ben accepted the position of administrator at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Home, Bismarck. Solveig also found herself employed outside the home for the first time in her married life; she drove the van for the Missouri Slope Lutheran Home Adult Daycare Program. Solveig loved having a paying job and she enjoyed treating her daughters by taking them to the mall and buying them clothes!

In 1982, Ben retired from the Missouri Slope Lutheran Home and pursued his dream of living in Montana. There, he purchased an apple and cherry orchard in Polson. Ben and Solveig worked the orchard for two years until his death in 1984. Solveig kept working the orchard until 1994, when she sold it and built her new home. She remained in her home until 2001 when she purchased a beautiful condominium on the west shore of Flathead Lake where she still resides.

Debbie has recently purchased the lot the Okland home used to occupy. After Debbie relocates to Alexander, which she will be doing soon, she hopes to continue Solveig’s tradition of always having the coffee pot on, feel free to drop in and share a cup or two along with the news of today and the news of the past. The Okland family looks forward to seeing all of their friends and families during this Old Settler’s celebration.  Following the picnic, there will be an all day Open House hosted by the Okland family at the City Hall across the street from the park – everyone is encouraged to stop over to visit and enjoy some refreshments!