Geraldine "Jackie" Vesel Solem

About Jackie

Jacqueline (born Geraldine) Vesel Solem, age 86, passed away at Gracewood Advanced Assisted Living and Memory Care in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, on October 15, 2026. She was born to Francis Mary (Sershen) and Mathew Jacob Vesel in Soudan, Minnesota, on September 27, 1940. Her sisters were Patricia, Madeline, and Jeanne.

Jackie grew up in Tower-Soudan, completed flight attendant training in Minneapolis, worked at Archer Daniels Midland, and attended the University of Minnesota for 2 years. In 1961, she entered the Convent of St. Scholastica in Duluth, took vows for 9 years, and graduated from college there in art, social science, and theology. She taught school in Virginia, Minneapolis, and Proctor. In 1970, she was dispensed from vows and, in Duluth, married Philip Solem, who had recently resigned from active ministry.

From the outset, they indicated their intention to make this a marriage of service by their symbol of stepping down from the reception head table to wait on the wedding guests. Jackie and Phil raised two daughters, Sara and Maria, modeling values by living simply, aiding refugees, peacemaking, sharing with others, and communal living (Chester Creek House, Sacred Heart Community, starting the Damiano Center, all in Duluth, and later at "The Farm" in rural Bovey), working together as co-therapists in marriage and family counseling, grief counseling, living abroad, and backpacking the world on a shoestring with their daughters.

Jackie's individual work life: She was an artist. She worked in Duluth at the Human Development Center Child Team, where she designed and implemented creative new programming. She was certified through 3 years of training with the International Transactional Analysis Assn. and completed 2 years of Enneagram certification. She taught English and did therapy in Japan for 1 year. Back home, she was a marriage and family therapist for 40 years and a spiritual director trained at the Shalem program in Bethesda, MD, and facilitated a weekly grief group for 20 years.

Jackie was an unusually wise and loving woman, a true healer, who influenced many people to be good and love well. She said: "My joy is working with people and to see in everyone and everything Christ, our hope of glory."

She is survived by Philip Michael Solem, her husband of 56 years; her daughters, Sara (Brent) Jorud and Maria (Rolland) Miller; 5 grandchildren: Tristan Miller, Cecilia Miller, Kyla Jorud, Gavin Jorud, and Kira Miller; and Jackie's sister and brother-in-law, Jeanne and Darrell Miettunen.

memorial service

Memorial Mass

October 31, 2026

St. Genevieve Catholic Church - Parish Community Center 6995 Centerville Rd, Centerville, MN 55038, USA

Visitation at 10AM

A private family burial will take place immediately following Mass.

A luncheon will follow the mass at the church. All are welcome.

The funeral Mass will also be live streamed through the “Live Stream” button on the St. Genevieve Parish website at www.stgens.org.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation directly to Doctors Without Borders in Jackie's memory at www.doctorswithoutborders.org, an organization whose mission was especially meaningful to her.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Crescent Tide Cremation Services