Aase Veseth, 99
As Aase Veseth, 99, would say, Takk for sist! That is Norwegian for thank you for the last time we were together. We are all grateful for the last time we were together and visiting with Aase.
Aase Bodil Ophus was born in Vang Hedemark, Norway, on Dec. 12, 1924, to Odlang and Barnard Ophus. She was the oldest of four children followed by Finn, Joran, and Odd. Times were hard in Norway when she was young and because her mother was in poor health she was often in charge of her siblings and the house. When possible, Aase loved to cross country ski and hike in the mountains with her family and friends. Her teens were especially difficult during the Nazi occupation in Norway during World War II. The Nazis took almost all the food from the farmers leaving the family only potatoes to eat if they were lucky.
After the war, her aunt Georgina Best sent money to the Ophus family to bring one of the children to America. As the oldest, Aase was chosen to be the lucky one to come. On Nov. 19, 1946, at 21 years old Aase left Norway on the voyage ship "Stavangerfjord" to come to America. The ship was only the second to leave Norway after the war and it took 10 days to cross the ocean. During this voyage, Aase enjoyed her very first Thanksgiving dinner.
Aase landed in New York City where she was met on the dock by one of her five sponsors. She spent a couple of days in the city before boarding a plane to Great Falls to live with her aunt Georgina who managed the Travelers hotel. The hotel is now on the historic register in Great Falls and is named the Hotel Arvon.
While at the hotel she met her first husband Harold Olson who was a handsome man with impeccable manners. They were married and had two children, Jacqueline and Arthur. After seven years, they were divorced. Later while working as a waitress at Gordon’s restaurant, she met Andrew Veseth who was an upcoming executive at Buttrey Foods. She loved to share about their first date which was on New Year’s Eve. They went to dinner at Dempseys and then proceeded to dance the night away — moving together like they had been doing it for years.
Aase and Andrew were married in 1962. Eventually she met his two beautiful daughters Andrea and RaNae who later became a permanent part of the family. She loved all her children deeply and actively participated in their lives. When Jacqueline, Art, Andrea, and RaNae were young, she was a campfire girl leader and helped with the Cub Scouts. She also loved going to all four of the children’s school programs and attending their concerts.
They had forty-six lovely years together. After Andy retired from Buttrey Foods, they looked for a new home surrounded by mountains and trees. Aase missed Norway and their beautiful mountains and fjords. They found their new paradise when they moved to a home on Echo Lake in Bigfork. She was in her element and very happy there. Her family enjoyed many summers with her on the lake. They quickly found their new local church family at Bethany Lutheran church in Bigfork. In more recent years she enjoyed Silver Sneakers and was usually in the front row! When people talked about Aase, they tended to comment on how she was always dressed to the nines.
Once she became a great-grandmother, the family started calling her Besta which is Norwegian for grandmother. She loved cooking for her family and friends. Besta's cookie tin was always filled with fresh chocolate chip cookies (her favorite) and no family dinner was complete unless there was her famous chocolate pudding for dessert.
Aase was a budding artist and loved to paint. She was exceptionally talented, and her family really would have loved to see her paint more because she had such a gift. She partially finished many paintings, and a family favorite was her painting of “Blue Boy.”
She was so proud of becoming an American citizen at the age of 28 and expressed with pride her participation in voting at every election. And she also was so proud of her Norwegian heritage and shared Norway’s traditions whenever she had the opportunity. She gave cooking demonstrations at the Viking Shop in Great falls where she was employed for many years. She taught people how to make lefse, rosettes and heart waffles. Helping at the Lutefisk dinners at Bethany Lutheran church in Bigfork she was dressed in her Norwegian costume made for her by her family in Norway. She was the official greeter and met everyone with a hug and a radiant smile. Most recently, she spoke to the Bigfork PEO chapter about her experiences growing up in Norway during the Nazi occupation. She of course brought her Norwegian costume, linens, and books for everyone to enjoy.
She has family and friends that live in Norway, and she has stayed connected with them with cards, letters, and trips throughout the years. She loved writing those letters and sending cards for every occasion. She never forgot anyone’s birthday and she always took time to write a special note.
She made several trips to Norway to visit family. Trips with her husband, Andy, trips with Jacqueline and Art, and her most recent trip in 2015 was a four generational visit to Norway. She traveled with her daughter, Jacqueline, granddaughter, Heather, and great-granddaughter Darby. While her son Arthur and his family were in Germany, she had the opportunity to visit several times, enjoying the castles and delicious food.
She is survived by her four children, Jacqueline Whitehorn, Arthur Veseth (Lori), Andrea Burke (Jim) and RaNae Mitchell (Eric). She is also survived by her four grandchildren, Justin McKerrow (Amy), Heather Mackenstadt (Rob), Andrew Veseth (Jasna), and Kristopher Veseth; and six great-grandchildren, Darby Mackenstadt, Keegan Mackenstadt, Sydney McKerrow, Lucas Mckerrow, Kayley Veseth, and Jaylyn Veseth. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families in Norway.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband, Andrew, her sister, Joran, two brothers, Finn and Odd, a nephew Olav, and a great-grandson Cameron.
Her life will be celebrated on her 100th birthday; Dec. 12, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork.
The family extends heartfelt thanks to daughter Jacqueline for her unwavering and loving care of Aase during her final years.
Donations may be made in Aase's memory to Bethany Lutheran Church to help maintain the gazebo located at the Bethany cemetery in Bigfork. This gazebo was built in honor and memory of Andrew Veseth in 2007.