Thursday, April 25, 2024
Berit Rolland passed away on April 18 following a short battle with lung cancer. Berit was born on Oct. 27, 1938 in Namsos, Norway to Trygve and Helga Folstad. She was pre-deceased by her husband Kjell Gerhard Rolland.
Berit immigrated from Namsos to the United States at the age of 20 along with her cousin Judith Pedersen Baker. Berit met her husband, Kjell, at the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in San Pedro, California. They were married 49 years. They had two daughters, Mona Christin Williams (Keith) and Jill Bente Rolland (Jason Moore), who survive her.
Kjell’s career in the aerospace industry led them to travel the world. They lived in Italy, Germany and above the arctic circle of Norway while Kjell worked for defense contractors. Berit had several careers, starting as an au pair when she first arrived to the United States. Later she owned a Swedish smorgasbord restaurant in Santa Monica before earning her realtor’s license, capitalizing on the California real estate market by becoming an early flipper of houses in the 1970s.
In 1980, Berit and Kjell moved to Washington State, which reminded them of their homeland, Norway. Berit was well known to many Mukilteo residents from her days working at the Mukilteo Post Office. Even after retiring, she enjoyed frequently encountering her former customers and catching up.
Berit was a golden member of Sons of Norway, joining first in Thousand Oaks, California and later joining Normanna Lodge in Everett. Berit stayed active in the organization throughout her life and was also active in the local chapter of Daughters of Norway. Berit never met a stranger and enjoyed chatting up people she met on her frequent trips to Whidbey Island and Salt Spring Island, Victoria and Vancouver, B.C.
In addition to her daughters and sons-in-law, Berit is survived by her granddaughter, Maren Rolland Moore, and a sister in Norway, Sonja Digre; nephews Trond Digre and Bjorn Digre of Norway and niece Berit Monnier of Kirkland, Washington. She will be greatly missed by her cousin Judith in California, extended family in Norway, and numerous friends and neighbors.
A celebration of life will be held on May 13 from 1 3 pm, at Normanna Lodge in Everett.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the American Lung Association.
