Howard Arthur Solberg was born on June 30, 1929, to Sivert and Nettie Solberg "of Norwegian descent", in Rolette, North Dakota. It was the year the stock market crashed. "I went to first grade with my aunt and uncle who are 9 and 7 years older than I." After he attended first grade in Bisbee, North Dakota, his mother passed away and he and his dad went to live with Howard's paternal grandparents on the homestead farm where he learned gardening, livestock tending, and farming, all which helped get them through the depression years. He attended 2nd through 8th grade in a one room schoolhouse, where he graduated 3rd in the county. "School was like a prison most of the time. I liked to stare out windows and imagine I was outside."

"After I graduated from the eighth grade, my dad took my brother and me to Bremerton, Washington where he worked in the Naval shipyard" to assist the war effort during WW II. "During the summer, Robert", Howard's 12-year-old brother, "and another boy from the apartment were playing with a revolver. Robert ended up getting shot and killed. After that, we went back to North Dakota." He graduated high school in 1947 from Rolette, North Dakota, again – graduating 3rd in the county. "How that happened, I have no idea."

The first summer after high school, he joined the Bisbee summer band. He was a trumpet player, and the band instructor sat him next to the lovely Violet Reid. They fell in love and married in June of 1950. He continued the tradition of wheat, oats and barley farming that he learned from his father and uncles. He and Violet had 5 children.

In 1966, after his livelihood was severely impacted by the death of many dairy cows, Howard moved his family to Houston, Texas with "only farming skills, but God opened doors" and he began a new career at TRW Control building, inspecting and testing circuit boards in the early days of computers and later worked at Xerox as a service technician (especially proud of working on pioneer heart surgeon Dr. DeBakey's machine), until he retired. "The LORD moved us to Houston. I had said I would go anywhere but Houston (do you suppose God laughed?)" He told his kids that the hardest thing he did when he left North Dakota, was to go south; he so wanted to turn west, back to Oregon. He loved his books, traveling, growing roses, enjoyed listening to music and being with his family. He faithfully attended church and served on church boards most of his life. Shortly after they met, "Violet invited me to a series of church meetings. One of the nights during the week, I gave my heart to the LORD. Nothing has been the same since." He was known for his love of taking pictures, a passion that continues on with his children and grandchildren. His wisdom, humor, quiet strength of character, and his love of people will carry on in the hearts of those he loved.

He passed away peacefully at home in Friendswood, Texas, on May 9th, at the age of 92. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Violet and his five children, Loren (Lee Ann) Solberg, Lynnette Solberg (Jeffrey) Jones, Gregory (Yolanda) Solberg, Daniel Solberg, and Christine Solberg Crosley, and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Note: Howard (Dad) preplanned his funeral and wrote his own obituary (he would). Excerpts are in quotations.

The funeral service will be held at CT Church 9701 Almeda Genoa Road, Houston, Texas 77075, Saturday, May 14, at 11:00am., with visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will be held at Bisbee Lutheran Church Cemetery in Bisbee, North Dakota.

In lieu of flowers, Howard has asked for donations to be made to Christian Temple's Mission programs in his name. Donations can be made online at https://mycthouston.org/giving or in person at CT Church Houston Campus. Donation boxes are easily available at the church site, and can be noted "In Memory of Howard Solberg" or simply noted "for General Missions".