Eunice Elizabeth Sortland

Eunice (Nystuen) Sortland Eunice (Nystuen) Sortland of Plymouth, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 24. Eunice was born in Zahl, North Dakota, to the Rev. Joseph and Selma (Norum) Nystuen on December 13th, 1928. After serving Lutheran Churches in the Zahl area where Eunice started school, the family moved to Barton, North Dakota in 1935, where her father served Barton Lutheran and other area churches. There Eunice attended grades 2-7. Her father was then called to serve churches in the Greenbush, Minnesota area in 1941 where Eunice attended grades 8-12 and graduated from Greenbush High School 1946. She then enrolled in Augsburg College and attended Deaconess School of Nursing in Minneapolis. While in nursing school, she dated Allan Sortland who was finishing Augsburg Lutheran Seminary in Minneapolis. They married on February 8th, 1952. They started their life together at Allan's first parish in Powers Lake, North Dakota, in1953 where their sons, Paul, John, and daughter, Mary, were born. In 1957, they moved to Grand Forks where Allan served Sharon Lutheran and their son David was born. When the children were older, Eunice began working a part-time night shift as a nurse at Deaconess Hospital. After 8 years in Grand Forks, the family moved to Albert Lea, Minnesota in 1965 where Allan was called to serve at First Lutheran Church. Eunice was a nurse at Naeve Hospital. In 1972, the family relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska for 6 years where Eunice was employed at the Regional Center Hospital and Allan served at American Lutheran Church. Eunice and Allan then moved back to Minnesota and resided in Golden Valley for 26 years. Eunice continued her nursing career at the Courage Center while Allan served Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley. They retired to Plymouth, Minnesota. Eunice especially enjoyed the annual Sortland reunion at Grace Lake near Bemidji. She and Allan also enjoyed many trips around America and Europe. Eunice is survived by children, Paul (Carolyn Anderson), John, Mary (Rod Moberg), and David (Marie Sortland), sisters Winifred Nyhus, Miriam Gusdal, and Grace (Dennis) Watkins, sister-in-law, Nancy Nystuen, brothers-in-law, the Rev. Omar Nelson and William Halverson, and sister-in-law, Eunice Anderson. Her grandchildren include Joseph (Kelsey), Martha, Nicholas (Michael Kohlfeld), Benjamin, Katrina, Natasha, Brandon, Brian (Megan), Britta (Eric Ryan), Ana (fiancé Jack Dean), Eric (friend Maddy Elizondo) and great-grandchildren: Linnea, Olin, Haylee, Wyatt, and Sven. Eunice was preceded in death by husband, the Rev. Allan Sortland, brother, Rev. Joseph Nystuen, sister Beverly Carlsen, brothers-in-law, Rev. Erling Carlsen, Rev. Delmar Gusdal, Rev. Edward Nyhus, Rev. Howard Sortland, Ivar Anderson, Lonnie Webb, sisters-in-law, Mary Lou Sortland, Lynda Sortland, Marolyn Halverson, Evelyn Halverson, niece, Kathleen "Kay" Halverson, and nephew, Stephen Carlsen. Services will be held on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church 17205 County Rd. 6, Plymouth, Minnesota, visitation at 1:30 p.m., service at 2:30 p.m. reception following. Memorials may be given to St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church or to Mindekirken, Norwegian Memorial Lutheran Church, 924 E 21st St, Minneapolis, MN 55404.

Tributes

Eunice Elizabeth Sortland

December 13, 1928 - August 24, 2025

Tributes

Eunice Elizabeth Sortland

December 13, 1928 - August 24, 2025

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