Solveig A. Bartz

Solveig (Moe) Bartz, Fargo, passed away on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

Solveig Amanda Moe was born on June 24, 1932 in Grand Forks, ND, to Martin and Selma (Lillehaugen) Moe. She grew up on the Moe farm near Dahlen, ND, with older brothers, Martin and Art. After high school graduation from Dahlen, she attended Concordia College, Moorhead, receiving her B.A. degree in Business Education and English. She was an accomplished pianist and accompanied numerous soloists at various college programs. She was also a substitute organist at several area churches.

After public school teaching at Osakis, MN, and Ben Franklin Elementary in Fargo, she married her college friend, Al Bartz, on August 16, 1957. In 1959, they moved to Tucson, AZ, where they pursued graduate degrees at the University of Arizona. Solveig worked for the University as a specialist in learning disabilities and received her M.A. degree in Special Education in 1962. With the field of Learning Disabilities rapidly expanding, she then attended the Graduate School at UND, Grand Forks, and received her Ed. D. degree in Special Education. Her major research for her degree involved the development of techniques for teaching reading to learning-disabled eighth graders. She accepted a teaching position at NDSU, Fargo, in Elementary Education. When the Elementary Program was transferred to Valley City State, she joined the faculty at Moorhead State University. After years of teaching and research she retired from MSU in 2009.

Family life involved church activities and visits with friends and relatives, especially at the Lillehaugen annual family reunions. And family life also involved five foster children ranging in age from fifth grade to HS senior. These were interesting years! Lake living at the cottage on Cotton Lake was a well-deserved rest after the school year in Academe!

Although teaching and research required much time, Solveig also enjoyed tennis, golf, skiing, bridge, and raising Beagles, and enjoyed travel to visit friends and relatives, especially on the west coast and the southwestern US.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Martin A. and Selma S. Moe and brothers, Arthur and Martin T. Moe. She is survived by her husband, Al; nephew, Blair (Shelly) Moe and nieces, Dianne Gunderson, Becky (Scott) Parkin and Cindy (Mike Olson) Moe.

Memorials can be made to Lutheran Social Services (MN) or Churches United for the Homeless.

A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 at 2:00 PM in Riverside Cemetery, Moorhead, MN.

A recording of the service will be available on our website for those that cannot attend.