Obituary: Brian Solseth

Brian Keith Solseth, 63, of Cloquet passed away Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at St. Luke's Hospital in Duluth, surrounded by family. Brian was born March 1, 1961, in Cody, Wyoming to Doug and Connie (Jones) Solseth. He graduated in 1979 from Cloquet High School.

Brian was raised in Marshall, Minnesota. The family moved to Littleton, Colorado in 1975, returning to Minnesota and settling in Cloquet just before the start of his senior year. He earned the nickname "Denver" from his classmates. Brian was a three-sport athlete in high school. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He went on to coach and officiate youth sports. He was an avid Minnesota sports fan.

Brian enjoyed the outdoors, especially fishing and hunting with his retriever Grace. He loved traveling back to Wyoming to hunt mule deer and antelope.

Brian was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 12, which led to health problems throughout his life. He had a kidney and pancreas transplant at the University of Minnesota Transplant Center in 2009. As his sight deteriorated, Brian attended the Lighthouse for the Blind in Duluth. He learned adaptive skills which enabled him to live independently. Brian lived for the last eight years at Larson Commons in Cloquet, where the other residents were so kind and accepting of his disability.

Brian was preceded in death by his father, Doug; and brother in-law, Terry Groth. He is survived by his mother, Connie, of Cloquet; sisters, Laurie Groth of Cloquet, Lisa (Brian) Schoeberl of Hastings, Minnesota, Leslie Solseth of Cloquet, and Lynette (Trent) Herbst of Appleton, Wisconsin; brother, Jonathan (Jenna Kettner) Solseth of Fargo; 12 nieces and nephews; and 19 great nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank the medical staff from St. Luke's 5 East for their kindness and special care of Brian.

A Celebration of Life for Brian will be held 1-3 p.m. Saturday at Nelson Funeral Care in Cloquet.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the American Diabetes Association at donors.diabetes.org, Donate Life America at donatelife.net, or your favorite charity. Also, please consider being an organ donor.

Pine Knot News, Nov. 1, 2024