Martha Alina (Sundberg) Roselair
POLSON — Martha Alina (Sundberg) Roselair, 95, of Polson died of congestive heart failure Aug. 26, 2006, at St. Luke Extended Care Nursing Home in Ronan.
Martha was born Aug. 8, 1911, the fifth of six daughters and one son to Francis Oman and Oscar John Sundberg in the family home near Sheriff Lake, Minn. Having grown up on a farm, Martha and her siblings worked hard to help their mother and father raise wheat, potatoes, corn and hay along with chickens, sheep, horses, geese, cows, pigs and one dog and lots of cats.
Martha attended school and graduated from the eighth grade in Grayling, Minn. She loved school and often dreamed of becoming a teacher. At the age of 21 she met and married the love of her life, Bert Roselair.
Bert, Martha and Bert's daughter Effie made their home in Menaga, Minn., where Martha gave birth to a baby girl in 1938 who they named Phyllis Jean. In 1942 this family of four moved from Minnesota to Snoqualmie Falls, Wash., and Bert found work at the Weyerhaeuser mill pulling lumber on the chain. Martha also worked for Weyerhaeuser during the '40s for a short time. Martha decided it was more important to be a housewife and mother to her husband and two daughters, so after the family moved to Snoqualmie, she stayed home full-time.
After raising the girls, Martha worked for a short time at the Mount Si High School lunchroom until Bert had an accident with a saw that left him unable to work at the mill. Then Martha stayed home to care for him. Bert died of his injuries in 1965 and Martha married Harvey Henschke, whom she divorced seven years later.
Martha moved into an apartment in North Bend, Wash., and she and her sister Ellen became very involved with the North Bend Senior Center and Martha worked under the RSVP program for the next 15 years.
She moved to Polson in 1991 to be close to her daughter, Phyl Fulkerson and her husband Glen. She lived in the Lakeview apartments until she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2001. Martha then moved in with Phyl and Glen until her July 27 admittance to St. Luke. She celebrated her 95th birthday at St. Luke on Aug. 8th and succumbed to heart failure on Aug 26.
Martha was well known and liked by many everywhere she lived and will be missed by all her friends and family. They remember her as the "Scrubby Lady" as Martha crocheted hundreds of little nylon net scrubbys to give as gifts and for Senior Centers to sell. She was also known for her macrame clothes hangers and made over a thousand for gifts to friends and family.
Martha was preceded in death by her husband Bert; five sisters, Alvina, Hulda, Olga, Ellen, Bertha; her son-in-law, Glen, and her parents.
She is survived by her daughter Phyl Fulkerson of Polson; grandchildren Tom Kantola (Shelley) of Little Rock, Wash.; Cory Kantola Colbert (Jim) of Chelan, Wash., Chris Kantola (Sheryl) of Camano Island, Wash., Rod Kantola (Sofia) of Bothell, Wash.; step-daughter Effie Castien and grandchildren David Castien (Laura), Lois Castien, all from Oregon, and 13 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her younger brother, William Sundberg, 91 (Laurena) and four nephews and two nieces in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Martha's wishes were to be cremated and laid to rest with her beloved husband Bert in North Bend Cemetery. Arrangements and cremation under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory. A memorial service will be held later in North Bend.
The family asks that any donation be sent to the Polson Library in Martha's name. Special thanks to everyone at the St. Joseph Hospital, Dr. Craig Panos, his nurse Wanda, the Polson Ambulance Service, Dr. Gochis, St. Luke Nursing Staff and all our friends and family who have been so supportive during Martha's time of need.