Aase Karin Blattmann Strand

“The Last Blattmann”

Our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother (Bestemor “Bessa”) Aase Karin Blattmann Strand passed away peacefully at the age of 99 on March 26, 2021 in her home in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was born September 26, 1921 to Hilda Marie Mortensen and Anton Caspar Blattmann in Drammen, Norway.

As the youngest of 10 children, Aase grew up in her beloved hometown of Drammen, Norway, where money was scarce but love and family fun were abundant. Her favorite memories growing up were spending summers at the family cabins at Konnerud... swimming, rowing in leaky boats and picking blueberries and wild strawberries. Her mother and 4 sisters joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1930’s and Aase joined as well in 1933 at 12 years old. Her testimony of the restored gospel was her personal treasure.

Aase married her husband Knute Strand (deceased) on February 11, 1945, in Norway. Together they had 4 daughters, Ellen Roholt (deceased), Inger Calkins (deceased), Colleen Hansen and Jane Stenholm.

After surviving the devastation of WWII and the aftermath of a German-invaded Norway, Aase and Knute sold their belongings and left their home in Norway to join some of Aase’s siblings in Utah who had previously immigrated to the United States. She had a baby in her belly and a toddler in her arms as they crossed the ocean by boat and the states by bus in the heat of the summer in 1948. Not yet speaking any English, Aase and Knute arrived at their destination to start a new life with only a few suitcases and some pocket change.

Aase will be dearly missed and most remembered for her courage and resolve, her sweet nature and soft-spoken Norwegian accent. Additionally, her sense of humor, diligence in taking daily doses of cod liver oil (she called it “brain food”) and unmatched Norwegian Christmas cookies will live on through the stories, memories and traditions she created with her family.

Aase is survived by her 2 daughters (Colleen Hansen, Jane Stenholm), 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, 13 great-great-grandchildren, and many dear nieces and nephews in Norway and Utah. She is preceded in death by her parents, 9 siblings, her husband and 2 oldest daughters.

A viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, from 12:30 to 1:30pm, followed by a private family service and interment. Viewing and service will both be held at Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 South 2300 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84109. Everyone is invited to watch the funeral service online. To watch the funeral scroll to the bottom of Aase’s obituary on the Holbrook Mortuary website, where the service will remain available to watch for 90 days.