Obituaries

Ann Gwendolyn Salvesen

Obituary

Ann Gwendolyn Selstad was born to Rueben and Phyllis Selstad on April 7th, 1949, in Kalispell, MT. 

Her elder brother, Pierre, is 2.5 years her senior. The family resided on a rural farm, not unlike the “Little House on the Prairie” homestead, situated approximately 7 miles from Cut Bank, Montana. This was where her father cultivated various crops, including winter wheat, barley, mustard, and more. Ann’s early years were sparse, as the family eventually moved into a one-bedroom, one-bathroom home on the same site. Their home had little more than a gas stove and heater, lacking insulation, carpet, running water, or a furnace. 

The small family spent long, cold nights together, learning to be grateful for their blessings. They read the Bible, developed a personal relationship with Father God, which led to her lifelong trust and obedience to Christ Jesus, her Lord and Savior.

Ann attended school in Cut Bank, Montana. Following graduation, she moved to Seattle, initially living with her grandparents in the Northgate area.  She went on to earn a bachelors degree from Northwest College. Ann then began a long, successful, and well-respected career working her way up into management at NW Bell/US West Communications. 

She met her future husband, John, in 1976 at a Calvary Temple’s (now Calvary Christian Assembly) singles group fellowship. Their friendship blossomed, and they married on Sept. 5, 1987. Upon her marriage to John, she was welcomed by John’s (5) children. They shared 23 years of marriage until his death following a long illness. Ann became his rock and a loving caregiver until he went home to the Lord on March 30, 2010. 

The ultimate hostess, Ann would host her in-laws and stepchildren for many Christmas Eve celebrations, family singalongs, BBQs, and miscellaneous getaways to the cabin Ann & John built at Glacier Bible Camp in Hungry Horse, MT.  

Before and after her marriage, Ann joined the extended Salvesen clan on weekends at the Tyee Beach cabin on Camano Island. While John fished, Ann enjoyed spending time with her mother-in-law, Bergliot, and many of her (6) sister-in-laws. She was initiated into the excitement of the annual Salvesen family Yakima river rafting trips. When the kids started raising their own families, John and Ann expanded the annual rafting adventure to become a small ministry and included their church singles group from Calvary Christian Assembly.

During their years together, they traveled extensively all over the world, cruise ships being their favorite mode because it allowed family and friends the opportunity to explore with them.  John grew up in a musical family, and they both shared a love of music and singing, ultimately creating a quartet, Joyful Sounds, and recording a lovely CD of their favorite gospel music.

 Ann was preceded in death by her husband, John L. Salvesen; her parents, Phyllis G., and Reuben J. Selstad. And her stepdaughter, Shirley L. Morgan.  Ann is survived by her brother Pierre (Trina) Selstad; her brother-in-law, Norman (Diane) Salvesen; her stepchildren, Michael Morgan; John (Diane) Salvesen, Linda (Mark) Roberts, Brett (Linda) Salvesen, and Suzanne (Gary) Brennis; (15) grandchildren; (22) great-grandchildren; and her Selstad and Davis cousins.