Wanda Mae (Gish) Soland lost a hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Dementia on June 15, 2024. She passed away peacefully at Cascade Creek Memory Care in Rochester, MN.
Wanda was born 8 miles from the Mexico border in Weslaco, Texas. She was welcomed into the world on September 16, 1937 by Bruce and Zelma Gish and her half-brother Elmer Michael (Mike) Gish. Wanda attended school at Weslaco High School. While there she was very active in Band, particularly marching band and her senior year was encouraged to be a majorette where she became the Drum Majorette. Upon Graduation from Weslaco High School She enrolled and graduated from Baptist School of Nursing in San Antonio, Texas and earned a B.A. at Trinity University in San Antonio. During this time she became the Trinity school Nurse. From this experience she applied and was accepted as one of 160 young professionals of many fields of expertise from around the country to embark on a new program called Operation Crossroads Africa. They travelled to Nigeria where they spent time creating medical outposts, digging wells, creating roads and building schools. Operation Crossroads still exists as a non-profit, non-government organization while the success of Operation Crossroads helped to motivate the start of the Peace Corp.
Wanda returned to San Antonio to teach Surgical Nursing. Wanda was introduced to Air Force Brain Researcher Eugene (Gene) Soland and by her roommate and longtime friend Susan Burbank at the home of Gene’s Aunt Elsie and Uncle Col. Leonard Burbank who happen to be Susan’s parents. Wanda married Gene on November 4th 1961 in Weslaco. They resided in San Antonio where she taught Nursing. They started their family with the birth of their son, Robert (Bob).
Wanda and Gene moved to Minneapolis upon Gene entering the Lutheran Seminary there. Wanda began employment as a nurse at Fairview Hospital. At Fairview she was part of a small group of nurses that started the first Intensive care unit. Soon they moved to Milwaukee to begin Gene’s internship and welcome another son, Ronald (Ron). The young family then moved to Glenwood City, Wisconsin for Gene’s first call to ministry. There they welcomed their daughter Brenda who was born in New Richmond, making their family complete. Gene’s ministry brought the family to Sioux Center, IA and then to Elk Horn, IA where Wanda was able to engage in many church activities. At Elk Horn, Wanda resumed her nursing career by first working at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa and then becoming the Director of Nurses at Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, Iowa.
They were very good at taking family road trips not only to Texas but also to discover the country from coast to coast and visit family and friends. Once the children had moved out of the house, they decided to move back to San Antonio. Wanda became Director of Nursing at Manor Care Nursing home. At Manor Care she was in charge of the first Alzheimer’s ward in San Antonio. In 1990, Wanda was runner up for Director of Nursing out of over 1000 applicants for the honor. Upon Wanda’s retirement the couple enjoyed life in San Antonio and their cabin along the Arroyo in Colorado. The couple spent the warmer seven months of 2014 and 2015 visiting Brenda in Nome Alaska while Gene was interim Pastor at Our Saviors Lutheran.
They moved to Kasson, Minnesota to be closer to their children. Wanda enjoyed being there for her grandchildren Eric, Rachel and Laura Soland. Their house became a great place for Brenda and her daughter Brianna to visit on their journeys back from Alaska. In retirement, Wanda was a very proud and active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) This organization is very active in helping immigrants obtain citizenship.
As Lewy Body and Parkinson’s started to take their toll Wanda moved into Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center, MN where she spent a couple magical years and was well looked after by their wonderful staff. While at Fairview, she survived the COVID shutdown with grace. Wanda then moved to Cascade Creek Memory care as her dementia progressed even more where she was well looked after by compassionate staff. Wanda spent her last days surrounded by her family. The family is also extremely grateful for the wonderful care from St. Croix Hospice preceding her passing.
Throughout Wanda’s life she was always well loved and highly thought of because she loved well and thought highly of others. Although she lived an amazingly adventurous life, the most important thing to Wanda was her family, her friends and God. Wanda was a strong woman of faith and will be reunited with her parents Bruce and Zelma Gish, her son Ron and her brother Mike.
The memorial service for Wanda will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, June 22, 2024 at the Dibble Funeral Home Chapel, 213 W. Main St, Kasson with Pastor Eugene Soland presiding. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the Funeral Home. Inurnment will be at a later date at Washington Prairie Cemetery, Rural Decorah, Iowa.