Date of Birth:
Wednesday, July 31, 1935
Date of Death:
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Age:
89 years old

Philip Gordon Soderberg

Philip Gordon Soderberg, 89, of Rochester, MN died peacefully after having endured a long journey with Lewy body dementia on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, with his wife Bobbie (Roberta) holding his hand.

Philip was born on July 31, 1935, in Bancroft, IA to Herman and Elsie (Mathson) Soderberg. He grew up on the Hay Valley Dairy Farm, attended a one room schoolhouse, then graduated from Burt High School in 1953. He attended Iowa State University from 1953 to 1955, returned to work on the farm for two years, then returned to ISU, graduating in 1959 with a B.S. in Agronomy.

In 1958 he met the love of his life, Roberta Strayer, in the basement of the soil testing lab at ISU. They married February 28, 1959, at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Ames, IA. The following year he was drafted into the U.S. Army serving from 1960 to 1962 at the Quartermaster Research Facility at Natick, MA.

In 1962 after being honorably discharged they moved to Albert Lea, MN where he took his first job with Smith-Douglas. They then moved to Eyota, MN where he worked for Vita Plus and Form-A-Feed. In the 1970s he bought the Rochester Chick Hatchery business. For several years he raised thousands of baby chicks and delivered them to farmers as laying hens. Phil always had a long-time dream of owning and operating a nursery/landscape business which was actualized in the early 1980s opening Soderberg’s Willow Creek Nursery. Following his retirement he worked for the Hy-Vee Garden Center. Customers relied on his expertise and called him Dr. Phil.

Phil and Bobbie built their home in Rochester, MN in 1965 where they raised their four children. Phil was a caring, compassionate, thoughtful and giving person. He was deeply involved with the Pleasant Grove Masonic Lodge #22. He was a past Grand Master of the Minnesota Masons. He was a 33^rd degree of the Scottish Rite and a member of several Masonic organizations. He was interested in many sports and activities, such as softball, golf, bowling, and loved playing poker and bridge with friends and neighbors. On Sundays he spent time with his family, he would “cook” the only meal he knew how, French Toast and if not in the yard or outside, spend the day with his family playing card and board games. During the winter he would spend his free time outside sledding on the hill in their backyard. He was an avid cribbage player; he taught all his children how to play. This culminated in an annual cribbage tournament which he often won, much to the chagrin of his family.

He was a proud of his Swedish heritage and enjoyed sharing his love of lutefisk dinners with anyone who showed a bit of interest. He had a deep Christian faith and served in the church as a reader, a long-time choir member and was proud of his involvement in creating the Bethel Columbarium.

Phil loved his yard and worked countless hours maintaining it. They had a side lot that was turned into the neighborhood softball field. All the neighborhood kids loved coming over to play a game. He was an avid nature lover and enjoyed bird watching and family camping trips. Phil and Bobbie camped and hiked 46 of the Minnesota State Parks as well as hiking the Grand Canyon.

He is survived by his wife Roberta (Bobbie); children Karla Pederson (Craig Holm) of Woodbury, MN, Kirsten (Mark) McLaughlin of Rochester, Eric (Beth) of Minneapolis, MN, Karen of Minneapolis; a Swedish exchange student Mats (Astrid) Andersson; grandchildren Adam Schimek, Alex (Alyssa) Schimek, Jane (Mike) Jandl, Matt Pederson, Ella Soderberg and Scott McLaughlin; three great-grandchildren Jack and Isabelle Jandl and Ava Schimek; sisters-in-law Cindy Biagas and Louise Strayer; and many dearly loved nieces and nephews, and great and great-great nieces and nephews. As a man that didn’t have much use for cats, he sure did love his cat, Clara.

He is preceded in death by son Robert, parents Herman and Elsie, parents-in-law Ray and Edna Strayer, brothers Gerald and Jerome and sister Lorraine Klocke. Brothers-in-law Glen Klocke, Richard Strayer and Al Biagas. Sisters-in-law Beryl Soderberg and Lois Soderberg. His 3 beloved Elkhounds, Elke, Tryggs and Cari as well as countless cats, rabbits and other critters.

The family would like to thank the Mayo Care Transition team, the care team at AVIVA River Bend and Heartland Hospice for the tender, loving care over the past 2 years.

The funeral service will be held at 11am, Monday, December 9^th, 2024, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester. Visitation will be held from 4pm-6pm on Sunday, December 8^th, 2024, in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at Bethel. A Masonic service will follow the visitation on December 8^th at 6pm at Macken Funeral Home.

The family suggest memorial to Rochester Scottish Rite Children’s Foundation, Bethel Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice.