Torbjørn Støle

Beloved husband of Anny Karin and father of Einar and Ellen Marie passed away on April 13, 2018, after a short illness. Torbjørn will be remembered by his family and friends for his warmth, kindness, gentle and generous spirit and his playful sense of humor. His top priority was his family. He was a true role model--our role model.

Torbjørn was born on June 27, 1929 to Thelaus and Else Marie Støle in Hauge i Dalane, Norway. He was the youngest of a large family of twelve children. He spent much of his childhood outdoors. He was an indefatigable hiker, skier and outdoorsman. He spent much of his youth in Hauge with farmers helping them with both their work and their animals. He always showed special kindness to, a connection with, and interest in animals.

Following the war and the German occupation of Norway, Torbjørn, not surprisingly, pursued an education in agriculture. He attended Søgne Landbruksole (agricultural school) in Southern Norway followed by dairy college at Statens Meieriskole in Trondheim. Following his schooling, he continued his training in dairy science as a trainee at several creameries throughout Norway, including Løiten, Frue, Heskestad and Nærbø. He advanced through his training at an accelerated pace and won recognition and awards both for the creameries and himself for the cheeses he produced.

After completing his education, training and military service in the Norwegian air defenses, Torbjørn immigrated to the United States. Initially he joined his two eldest brothers Arnold and Elmer in Montana. After some time in Montana, and stops in Salmon, Idaho and Portland, Oregon, he travelled to the Pacific Northwest where he settled in Seattle, which in many ways reminded him of Norway. Torbjørn became a naturalized U.S. citizen in Seattle. He also met Anny Karin Waage in Seattle and they were married on September 1, 1962. Soon thereafter, they purchased a home and settled in Bellevue, Washington where they raised their family. Torbjørn was a skilled builder and made many substantial and significant improvements and additions to that home.

He spent nearly 20 years working at the Darigold creamery in nearby Issaquah, Washington. For many years he also fished salmon commercially in Bristol Bay, Alaska. In 1981, he turned to fishing full time when he joined on with F/V Gun Mar. While on Gun Mar, he fished pollack and Alaskan king crab for nearly a decade in the Bering Sea and around the Aleutian Islands.

After retiring in 1992, he and Anny drove across and around the United States several times. They travelled frequently in the United States and shared many cruises together to Norway, the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, the Caribbean, through the Panama Canal, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. Torbjørn was curious, eager to learn and an avid reader with a particular interest in history, the American Civil War, Norwegian literature and poetry, and Louis L'Amour novels.

Torbjørn leaves behind not only a wonderful legacy for his family and friends, but his wife, Anny Karin; son Einar; daughter, Ellen Marie Yeckel; son-in law William Thomas Yeckel, daughter-in-law Suzanne Marie Jan de Beur; and four grandchildren, Amanda Karin Yeckel, Espen Thomas Yeckel, Christian Almar Stole, and Caroline Cureton Stole. Torbjørn was preceded in death by his beloved sisters, Perla Konstance Lohne, Gudrun Møklebust, Judith Petrea Ahlsen, Margit Hansen and Gerd Sylvia Jonsson, and brothers Parker Arnold, Elmer, Thorleif, Kåre, Thorleif ("Guttemann"), and Egil.

We are grateful that he lived a long and happy life of nearly 89 years and that we were all able to be with him the last few days of his life. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle and he will be dearly missed. We love and miss you.

Service will be taking place at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Bellevue. Please contact family for details.