Stella Hult

Stella Josephine Hult peacefully went to be with the Lord on June 28, 2012. She lived 89 years full of love and service. Stella was the wife of Lutheran minister, Bertil Hult, who preceded her by 12 years. His final ministry was as pastor of Faith (Salem) Lutheran Church in Quincy, MA. She was the mother of six children, foster mother to dozens of babies with Lutheran Social Services, grandmother to seven grandchildren, and great-grandmother to five great-grandchildren. She is survived by her sister Lillian Stromme of Williston, ND and her brother Orvin Finnesgard of Alamo, ND.

Stella was born in a January blizzard in 1923, on the plains of western North Dakota to Norwegian homesteaders: Edwin and Hannah Henrietta Finnesgard. She started her lifelong vocation as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in Divide County, ND. She attended Oak Grove High School in Fargo, ND and attended the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis. She met her husband-to-be in Minnesota while working at a Bible camp. With intrepid spirit and in face of parental objections, she eloped to Boston where they were married and lived, he being stationed there with the Navy during WWII.

After various postings around the country (NYC, California…) and various ministry assignments in ND and IL, Stella and her husband lived in Quincy, MA for thirty-four years. There, they raised their family. Stella was the teacher of countless sweet but challenging fourth graders in the Quincy public school system. In addition to teaching and raising her family, she earned master’s degrees in Psychology and Family Counseling and shared her talents, caring and experience with those who were fortunate to meet her. Lover of adventure and seeker of knowledge, she and her husband went on as many international excursions and cruises as possible, enjoying diverse destinations such as Greece, Egypt, Italy, Russia, England, Germany, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Turkey… She and Bertil opened their home to foreign exchange students and international visitors.

She retired with her husband to the Royal Oaks Life Care Center in Sun City, AZ twenty-four years ago. She was blessed with great friends, wonderful caregivers and nurses. Stella was a vibrant member of the Royal Oaks community. In addition to being an area representative for the Royal Oaks residents council, she was the coordinator of the Great Decisions program for the Greater Phoenix Valley starting several local groups including the one at Royal Oaks. She was the amazing and unfailing caregiver to her husband who suffered from syringomyelia.

Her faith in God was great and central to her daily life. Though increasingly physically limited, she was a faithful member of the American Lutheran Church in Sun City and was a supporter of outreach ministries such as Prison Fellowship, Teen Challenge and Bibles for the World.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

- Bibles for the World, P O Box 49759, Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9759

- Prison Fellowship, 44180 Riverside Pkwy, Lansdowne, VA 20176

Children:

Rebecca Worley& (Christopher) of Alexandria. MN

Nathan Hult & (Christine) of Logan, UT

Timothy Hult (deceased) &(Jane) of Braintree, MA

Philip Hult & (Gail Snowdon) of Mahomet, IL

Stephen Hult (deceased) of Conway, NH

Rachel Kasianowicz & (John) of Darnestown, MD

Grandchildren:

Rachel Slocum

Daniel Worley

Ben Worley

Beth Huizinga

Jen Hult

Justin Hult

Brian Hult

Great Grandchildren:

Andrew Slocum

Christopher Slocum

Benjamin Worley

Sean Huizinga

Abigail Worley

Denali Hult

Siblings:

Alf Finnesgard (decesaed)

Myrtle Finnesgard (deceased)

Esther Halvorsen (deceased)

Lillian Stromme

Orvin Finnesgard

Thelma Dahle (deceased)

Parents:

Edwin Finnesgard

Hannah Henrietta Henricksen

This poem was composed for the celebration of Stella’s 89th birthday.

STELLA OF THE PRAIRIE

She was born Stella Josephine Finnesgard,

Born on the prairie in the dead of winter

Under the aurora borealis, those wondrous northern lights,

Bestowing their eerie curtains of energy upon her birth.

This is her life and story we celebrate

At the start of her ninetieth year upon this earth.

We her children stand in awe

And call her blessed.

Stella grew up on the rolling plains of northwest North Dakota,

Fourth of seven children born to homesteading parents,

Wresting life from the primal sod and bitter winters

Of this treeless wind-swept land by the Canadian border.

She, like the rest of her family, was tough.

Walking miles to school each day

Except in winter when the horse would pull the sleigh,

She knew how to work and was the best of the students.

Farming was frustrating and unpredictable, the crops each year

Subject to the whims of drought, and grasshoppers, and wind, and hail.

But each spring new seed was sown

With hopes and prayers for a better year.

Mom’s first job was her life-long calling,

Teaching in a one–room schoolhouse In Fortuna,

That is, until she met Dad,

Washing dishes at Bible camp the following summer.

Not only did he excel in dishes, but he was also cute,

And about to enter the Navy. But that was not the problem

The problem was that she was Norwegian and he was a Swede,

And according to their parents, never the twain shall meet.

But where there is love . . . They eloped.

Then life got easier.

Easier? The fishbowl role of a pastor’s wife?

And then there were the kids, six in ten years.

Some were easy to raise, and some not too easy.

But there was love, and love conquered all.

Mom couldn’t stop at six.

Her love found foster children, babies, teens, what have you,

All in need of love.

Then came the international students, some for a visit or two,

One that fell in love with her oldest daughter

And is still hanging around.

Still not enough kids for Mom.

She went back to school, and then

Become the best loved teacher at Snug Harbor Elementary

In the tough part of town.

Some still send her Christmas cards each year

Thanking her for her love and confidence in them.

Our parent’s path led them to Royal Oaks

This warm, sunny community of friends.

Mom was a loving, caring, angel for Dad

During his long disabling illness, shortly after their move.

But ever the teacher, and constant searcher for knowledge,

Stella brought Great Decisions to Sun City,

Ambassador and area director for years,

Enriching the lives of many inquiring minds.

What has been Mom’s guiding star?

What has brought her through these days and stages of her life

At times exhausted and without strength?

Her reliance on God, her ever present help,

Her toughness from the North Dakota prairies,

And love, which never fails.

Nathan Hult 1/21/12