Francis Edwin Solmonson 1914-1997

SOLMONSON, STEINMANN, WICKENS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 3/28/2013 at 23:38:43

Francis Solmonson
Estherville – Services for Francis [Edwin] Solmonson, 82, of Estherville, will be held Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Estherville with the Rev. Tom Balm officiating. Interment will be in East Side Cemetery, with military graveside rites by John W. Brawford V.F.W. Post #3388 and Maurice Doyle American Legion Post 91, both of Estherville. He died Thursday, July 24, 1997, at Holy Family Health Services.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville.

He was born Dec. 25, 1914, at Gruver, the son of Harvey and Irene (Wickens) Solmonson. He received his education in the Gruver Schools where he graduated from high school. As a child he lived on farms at Gruver, Maple Hill and Dolliver. On July 3, 1940, he married Lucyle Steinmann in Kirksville, Mo. After their marriage, the couple moved to Cedar Rapids where he worked at the Quaker Oats Plant. From 1941 – 1942 the couple lived in Burlington where he worked at the Ordnance Plant. In Nov. of 1942 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in WWII. He served two years as a military policeman in Victoria, Texas, at Aloe Air Force Base, and also during this time he was working secretly in intelligence. Following this, one year was spent in Denver at Lowry Air Force Base. He was discharged from the Army on Dec. 5, 1945, as a remote control turret gunner mechanic on B-29s.

Following his discharge from the military, the couple moved to Estherville where in 1946 he worked for the Conservation Corps. From 1947-70 he worked for the Estherville Police Dept. He retired in Jan. of 1970 as Chief of Police. From 1970 to 1980 he worked in security for John Morrell and Co. in Estherville.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church and American Legion Post No. 91.

He is survived by his wife, Lucyle, Estherville; sons, Garry and Leslie of San Jose, Calif.; daughter, Francie Solmonson, Dublin, Calif.; grandsons, Steven and Scott Solmonson; brothers, Wayne, Ernest and Donald, all of Estherville.

He was preceded in death by two infant sons, parents and three sisters. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, July 29 1997)