Martha (Hoghaug) Glasoe

Martha Hoghaug Glasoe, 94, died Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at Friendship Village, Bloomington, MN. Martha Marie Langslet was born March 6, 1913 in Detroit Lakes, MN to Halvor and Cornelia (Rustuen) Langslet. She attended the Detroit Lakes schools and then St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN where she was a soloist in the choir under the direction of F. Melius Christiansen. She married Maurice A. Hoghaug, an orthodontist, on September 12, 1935 in Detroit Lakes, MN. They had two sons, Thomas and Andrew, and moved to Grand Forks, ND in 1946. Martha loved life and chose to live every day with a song in her heart. She had a joyful soul, strong faith and an indomitable spirit that brought happiness to many people. She was well known not only for her beautiful singing voice but for her love and pride of her 100% Norwegian heritage. Wearing her bunad, a traditional Norwegian dress made by her grandmother over 110 years ago, she sang Norwegian songs and the music of Grieg at countless Sons of Norway, Hallinglag, and Syttende Mai events and traveled eighteen times to her beloved Norway to visit family and friends. She was the soprano soloist for Handel's Messiah for years and a judge for Metropolitan Opera auditions. She loved the Grand Forks community and her boundless energy extended to the Grand Forks Symphony, Thursday Music Club, PEO Chapter AF, Nordic Initiative, UND Athletics, Firehall Theater, and Chester Fritz Auditorium. She was an avid supporter of Concordia College and St. Olaf College and a longtime member of United Lutheran Church where she sang in the Cathedral Choir. Her life and contributions were featured in numerous magazine and news articles including LIFE magazine, and she made a memorable appearance on Garrison Kiellor's Prairie Home Companion radio program in 2001. Martha's husband, Maurice, died in 1979. In 1999, Martha was reacquainted with a former college classmate, Paul Glasoe, at their 65th St. Olaf class reunion. They married June 21, 2000 in her father's home church in Nesbyen, Norway ? Martha wearing her bunad and surrounded by Norwegian family and friends. Martha is survived by her husband, Paul Glasoe, Bloomington, MN and his three daughters; her sister, Ann I. Lee, Edina, MN; three generations of loving nieces and nephews and many dear friends. Martha was preceded in death by a sister, Lorna, two brothers, Hardy and Chester, her husband, Maurice, and both sons, Thomas and Andrew. Services: 11:00am Monday, November 19, 2007 in United Lutheran Church, 324 Chestnut St., Grand Forks. Visitation: One hour prior to the service in the church. Memorials are preferred to United Lutheran Church or a charity of donor's choice.