Bertha Amanda Saloka

Bertha (Bea) Amanda Saloka, age 94, was born in Finlayson on May 5, 1919 to August and Eliese (Belling) Vogt. She passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013 at Parmly Lifepointes in Chisago City. Bea grew up and attended school in Finlayson. After moving to St. Paul, Bea’s sister introduced her to Mike Saloka, who was originally from Hinckley himself. They hit it off, and the two were married in Finlayson on June 21, 1941. The newlywed couple bought a home in West St. Paul. Mike worked for Swift & Company, and Bea worked for Master Toys as a seamstress for many years before joining 3M. After two years of marriage, Bea and Mike became the proud parents of Dianne, soon joined by Skip, Allen, Susan and Cathryn. Mike and Bea bought property in Finlayson, and Mike built a cabin on the shore of Little Lower Pine Lake. The family spent many happy days there enjoying the lake and the company of friends and relatives. When Swift & Company closed, Mike became a carpenter, and continued in that line of work until Bea retired from 3M. After their retirement, they spent many more summer days together at the cabin. After Mike died at the age of 78, Bea sold their house in West St. Paul and moved to Hinckley. She lived there for eight years, cultivated a spectacular flower garden, babysat for family and neighbors, and was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Hinckley. She loved to read and was a skilled quilter, sending many of her blankets abroad for World Relief. At age 79, she decided she would rather travel than keep up a house, yard and garden. She moved to Westchester Apartments in Pine City and traveled to Colorado, Canada and New Mexico to visit her children. She also spent a great deal of time quilting doll blankets for WINDOW Victim Services. She stayed in Westchester for five years until poor health caused her to move to Golden Horizons. She lived there for seven years before moving to Parmly at age 92. Bea was preceded in death by her husband Mike and her 12 siblings: Bill, Gertrude, Fred, Frank, Leonard, Edward, Mary, Anna, Henry, Herman, John and August. She is survived by her children: Dianne Deutschlander and her husband David of Pine City, George (Skip) Saloka and his wife Linda of Benson, Minn., Allen Saloka and his wife Susan of Albuquerque, N.M., Susan Lussin and her husband Brian of Enderby, British Columbia and Cathryn Doyle and her husband Daniel of Avon, Colo.; grandchildren Jill Frith and her husband Jim of Coon Rapids, Tracy Saloka and his wife Jessica of Shoreview, Brian Deutschlander and his wife Heidi of Pine City, Teri LaFrenz and her husband Scott of Edina, Heidi Briski-Gainor and her husband Mike of Pine City, Tyler Doyle of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Ann Mattesen of Victoria, British Columbia and Ursula, Emily, and Natalie Lussin of Enderby, British Columbia; great-grandchildren Emma and David Briski, Olivia and Reid LaFrenz, Tristan Frith and Ryder Saloka; extended family and her many friends. Funeral services for Bertha will be held on Sunday, October 27, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Hinckley. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Rosehill Cemetery of Hinckley. Arrangements for Mrs. Bertha Saloka of Pine City are entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service – Swanson Chapel of Pine City. www.funeralandcremationservice.com