Margrete Oline Smeby, 106, passed away Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, at the Wellington Place Nursing Home in Decorah, IA.
Margrete was born May 28, 1919, to Joseph and Margit Gorden in Detroit. She was the oldest of four children, followed by three brothers: William, Frank and Bernie.
She graduated from high school in Detroit and from the Detroit Conservatory of Music, majoring in piano.
She married Carsten Smeby, a Lutheran intern, at her church in Detroit on May 18, 1944. They moved back to St. Paul, where Carsten finished his last year of seminary.
Carsten and Margrete had five children: Rolf, Mark, Joel, Signe and Julie.
Carsten and Margrete served churches in Door County, WI; Spring Valley, WI; Cresco, IA; and Tustin CA. They lived in California from 1973-2000.
Margrete received her music teaching degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, in 1964. She taught music in Cresco, Calmar, Ridgeway and Lime Springs, IA and Tustin, CA.
Throughout her life, she gave piano lessons, played the piano and organ, directed church choirs and was active in the church.
Carsten and Margrete had a cabin on Kabekona Lake in northern Minnesota from 1957 until the present, a place they stayed and visited many times.
In 2000 Carsten and Margrete moved to a senior living high rise in Edina. Carsten passed away in 2008. Margrete continued living there until 2015. She was living at a nursing home, Wellington Place in Decorah, IA, until her passing.
Margrete is survived by her brother, Bernie (Mary Annette); her children, Rolf, Mark (Joanie) and Joel (Cynthia); grandchildren Anna Smeby (Edgar Wong), Joel Mark (Sarah) Smeby, Andy (Heidi) Smeby, Shaina Michael (James McKay) and Sam (Laura) Michael; and great-grandchildren Anais Wong Smeby, Rio Wong Smeby, Olive and Sage Smeby and Arthur Michael.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Margit Gorden; husband, Carsten, and brothers, William (Doris) and Frank (Marge).
All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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