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Celia Elvira Svee
June 14, 1906--March 05, 1957
Celia Elvira Svee, the youngest of 10 children, was born at home in Pine Island Township, Goodhue County, Minnesota, to John J. and Bertha (Berit Rokke) Svee. The Svee family placed a great deal of importance on education. Celia graduated from Zumbrota High School in 1923. There were 24 people in her class, 14 girls and 10 boys. One of her class mates was a life-long friend, Dora Starz. A graduate of Winona Teachers college (1925-1929), Celia was a teacher for several years at a one-room school west of Zumbrota, Minnesota near what was called Nygard Station. The correct designation of the school is school #95. She lived with the Orrin Shelstad family on a farm next to the school when she was teaching. Nygard Station is about 3 miles south of Minneola Church where Henry's parents and grandparents attended church and are buried. She also taught at the "District 73" school, south of Zumbrota.
She married Henry Norman Satrum on July 03, 1938 in a church parsonage at 280 Mill Street, Zumbrota, Minnesota. They had 2 sons, and belonged to Lands Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church of her parents. She was confirmed in Norwegian on October 23, 1921 by pastor Jens Mathieson.
Celia and Henry lived in an 2nd-story apartment above the Borgschatz Clothing store in the Rockne Apartments at the northwest corner of 4th Street and Main Street in downtown Zumbrota. In April, 1944, Celia was in a hospital in Red Wing, Minnesota, having their second son, Jon. A niece, Evelyn Rokke, cared for their first son, Craig and packed their belongings for a move to a new home. When Celia returned from the hospital, the family moved to a rented small white house at 232 West Third Street. Finally, the family moved to 280 Mill street. They had bought the parsonage where they were married 6 years earlier. In an alcove off of the living room there were stained glass windows above the regular windows.
Celia was an ardent worker in her church, the Boy Scouts, and the American Legion Auxiliary where she and her sisters, Lena and Bernice were officers. Bernice served as Department President in 1954-1955 and District President in 1947-1948 and in 1956 was National Committeewoman. Mrs. A.S. Lewis (Lena Svee) was elected District President in 1935. Celia also served as District President in 1941 and also served 2 years as District Secretary. She was also President of the local Zumbrota American Legion Auxiliary in 1936.
She died at home, after a long illness, of malignant hypertension on March 05, 1957 and is buried next to her husband, Henry in the Zumbrota town cemetery, Zumbrota, Goodhue County, Minnesota.
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