Dale M. Soderman

With his family by his side, Dale Marshall Soderman, 86, of Great Falls, MT passed away peacefully on April 23rd, 2021 at Peace Hospice. Cremation has been entrusted to Croxford Funeral Home and a Memorial Service will be held on June 5th, 2021 at 1 PM in the chapel of Faith Lutheran Church. For those unable to attend in person, Faith Lutheran Church will livestream the service at www.faithlutherangf.com via the media and resources tab.

Born on July 28th, 1934 (along with his twin sister) in Brainerd, MN to Rudolph (Rud) and Marie (Thompson) Soderman; Dale was the oldest of 5 children. The family was raised on  ¼ section dairy farm. His family donated a corner of this farm for parking, cemetery and construction of the Bethel Lutheran Church which Dale attended.  This unique country church is still in operation today. Dale was also very active in 4H, F.F.A. and the County Fair.  Dale was an accomplished hunter and fisherman in his youth. His family assisted the community during WWII due to the rationing, they provided their relatives with vegetables from their farm and smoked meat/fish from his mother’s smokehouse. Dale graduated from Brainerd High School, where he was nicknamed “SodaPop”.  He married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Carole Hedlund on April 20th, 1957; they shared 3 children and 64 years together. 

Dale was a hard worker, always busy, but always had time to give a hand to anyone.   His first job was his parent’s farm, along with other farms in the area.  After high school he went to work at the Brainerd  paper mill and then on to Minneapolis where he worked as an apprentice cabinet maker.              

Dale was a valued baseball pitcher and catcher during his youth, he would be hired out as a temp pitcher to local teams prior to being called to active duty by the Army; he was even scouted by professional baseball teams. Dale enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1954 and was called to active duty in 1957 and traveled the country, from Minnesota to Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  During his time at Fort Benning, Dale was a SGT and an accomplished rifle marksman; He was essential in the training of the Army Ranger Shooting Team. Dale was released from active duty in 1959 when he returned to the Army National Guard and a job waiting for him with the Fleet Supply Corporation.

 He continued working for Fleet Supply as a manager from 1963 until he had the opportunity to purchase their store. Dale and Carole purchased the Great Falls Fleet Supply business for themselves in 1990, eventually renaming the store “Soders” Fleet Supply and taking on their son as a partner.  They owned and operated this store together, sharing the workload. Carole did all the bookkeeping and developed the store computer and accounting system. Dale was known as the "pump” man.   Dale was very active in his business and community; he valued his employees and would often bring them donuts on Saturdays. He always loved a good Ford Truck and drove an F350 Ford Pickup to work every day until his 80th birthday when he became unable to do so.  The Soders Fleet Supply was closed in April of last year and have since received many thank you’s via mail and in person for the many years of service Soders Fleet Supply supplied Great Falls and the surrounding area. 

Dale and Carole bought their first and only home together in December 1968.  "DIY’s”, Dale showed his talent for carpentry, woodworking; building furniture etc for their home and  rockwork landscaping.. He went into adulthood continuing to love ice fishing, hunting, camping and country music. He took his family on many camping adventures to the Highwood Mountains, Lake Blaine, Swan Lake, Tiber reservoir, Canada and to the farm in Minnesota every year to visit relatives. Dale was friendly, a great storyteller, a famous jokester and loved to make people laugh. People were drawn to him and he usually got along with everyone. Dale’s favorite times above all else were spent with family. He loved holidays with those he loved, seeing the kids dressed up for Halloween; handing out candy at the door. Hanging Christmas lights, especially the angel he put up every year even if he couldn’t get the other lights up. He looked forward to car rides with his kids, telling stories about his childhood, making them laugh, crumpling potato chips on ice cream and placing jam on chocolate chip cookies. Dale was very close with his family. He loved speaking with his brother in law Bud, his sister Sharon and her husband Kenny. Dale was almost always happy.  He liked to reminisce about farm life; horses, cows, pigs and field work.  He enjoyed going to weddings, trips to Mexico, fishing and hunting with friends and family, reunions to Brainerd, MN and his 80th Birthday party where family and friends from all over the country came to celebrate with him.

Dale was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Great Falls, MT. Dale enjoyed going to church and he would always wear a suit and tie. He shared his love for church with his family through grace at dinnertime and teaching his children bedtime prayers. He and Carole also went to some bible study groups and enjoyed socializing with other members. 

He also belonged to other community groups, such as the Jaycee’s in Conrad, the Elks Club in Great Falls, where he and Carole enjoyed dancing while “The Partnership” band played and the Great Falls Country Club. He served on the board of directors for his buying group and the Great Falls Shipping Association.

Dale was preceded in death by parents Rud and Marie Soderman, twin sister Gail Sedlacheck, brother Alvin (Turk) Soderman, brothers in law Kenny Schlegel and  Burt Coleman and nephew Mike Coleman. 

He is survived by his loving wife, Carole Soderman of Great Falls, MT. His sons Boyd Soderman of Great falls, MT and Doug Soderman of Minneapolis, MN; daughter Lynn (Bo) Evans of Kalispell, MT; sisters Sharon (Kenny) Schlegal of Brainerd, MN and Joyce (Burt) Coleman of Iowa; brother in law Bud (Gail) Sedlacheck of Minnesota; Along with 4 grandchildren. 

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