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Meet Your Fellow Democrats

Melva & Ken Soderlund

 

This month we are featuring two of our fellow Democrats, Ken and Melva Soderlund.

Ken and Melva met in Omaha while Ken was training as a hospital chaplain and Melva was studying for her nursing degree.  

Life has taken them to various states but they settled in Lebanon fifteen (15) years ago primarily to be near their daughter, son-in-law and two (2) grandsons.  

Ken has offered our thoughtful and compassionate Spring Dinner invocations the last several years, Melva is a regular volunteer for our Women's Group events and Melva and Ken are often the friendly faces you see to welcome and sign you in at WCDP events.  They are a joy to be around and are invaluable members of our Party. 

Melva

Melva grew up in rural Nebraska in a very conservative area with little to no diversity. Her family and all her surrounding neighbors held very Republican values to which she also embraced. It wasn’t until President Reagan’s administration that she realized her personal beliefs more closely aligned with the Democratic Party (but more on that later). 

While at St. Louis University pursuing her degree in nursing, Melva became a candidate to participate in the university’s Institute of Mental Health thereby graduating with both a Bachelors and Masters degree. The combination of these degrees expanded her opportunities to focus on mental health issues and substance abuse, particularly alcoholism.  It was due to her devotion for advocacy that she took umbrage when Reagan cut funding for the mentally ill population. Melva believed that “those who previously had access to programs that helped them transition back to society would now be homeless and/or facing jail time.”   She knew this was a huge detriment not only for individuals with substance abuse and/or mental illness but to their families and communities.  

For the last thirteen (13) years of Melva’s career she served as a counselor for patients facing cancer care and during this time she “learned a lot about life.”  Melva became well known in her chosen field for teaching patients behavioral methods which included relaxation that allowed the body and mind to prepare for their cancer treatment.  She also recalls a time when she worked with a gay couple that was facing obstacles as hospice rules would not allow them to be together. Her hope is that her efforts helped to pave the way for change so that all love one's can be together during the most difficult time of life. 

Melva is a strong Democrat because she values the party’s principles that focus on mental health, women’s rights, including birth control, cancer detections efforts and the fact that all individuals have basic health rights that must be fought for and maintained no matter ones station in life.  She first became actively involved while campaigning for President Obama and currently works with the Warren County Martin Luther King Coalition. Melva also appreciates the fact that the Democratic Party is currently working to preserve and protect our Constitution.  

Ken

 

This kind, soft-spoken gentleman has an interesting and adventurous background, which eventually landed him in Warren County.  Ken and Melva have lived in Lebanon for the past fifteen (15) years.  
 
With a Bachelor’s Degree in Music, a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Doctorate of Ministry, followed by a Certificate of Lutheran ministry, Ken served many parishioners as their pastor. His final parish was in Oconomowoc,  (yes – both Ken and Melva can pronounce it!) Wisconsin but was assigned throughout the United States including the states of Nebraska, Missouri and Illinois, to name a few.  
 
Ken gained a reputation of being inclusive of people from all walks of life accepting diversity of race, gender and certainly sexual orientation.  Fifty-three (53) years ago at his wedding ceremony he was asked: “where will your best man sleep?”  That question was directed towards his best friend, who just happened to be the first African-American that visited his wife’s small rural town in Nebraska.  
 
Most recently Ken performed a wedding ceremony between a Catholic woman and an Asian-Indian man who wanted both of their religious beliefs to be honored and all of their guests to feel comfortable and valued. This couple sought out Ken – based upon his formidable reputation – who meticulously prepared for the ceremony and successfully honored their wishes and traditions.
 
For the past fourteen (14) years he has volunteered at Fort Ancient and will likely engage anyone in a conversation about Native American history and culture. An interesting note is that he befriended Vine Deloria, a past President of the National Association of Native Americans and author of Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto. Ken’s relationship with Mr. Deloria and in-depth reading of his book has served as a base for his commitment to Native Americans.  
 
While Ken was born and raised in Chicago, his ancestors came from Sweden.  Upon his grandfather’s death, his family discovered that he was a union organizer in Sweden who was “kicked out” of the country and shipped off to America.  They always wondered why he left his pregnant wife in Sweden, an act that was not characteristic of his grandfather. 
 
When asked why he was a Democrat, Ken stated that it just became a natural path for him and his family. Living in a community with Swedish roots in the south-side of Chicago his father was considered an essential employee at his company and, consequently, did not serve in World War II. Instead, he worked with many African-American employees who moved from the southern states to Chicago to assume many of the jobs vacated by the white men who went to war.  That exposure to diversity and the eventual fact that Kennedy became a viable candidate moved his family squarely to the Democratic Party.  
 
Ken thinks that the Democratic Party works very hard to obtain its dedicated goals and objectives.  He sees the leadership and the rank-and-file as working seriously for qualified candidates and believes that the Democrats will continue to be a deciding factor in many state-wide elections.  
“Democrats are willing to plug away and they don’t give up,” said Ken - - a sentiment that clearly has defined Ken Soderlund’s career path, personal life and perspective on life.  
Finally, please consider becoming a recurring monthly donor to the Warren County Democratic Party.  Every little bit helps.  Even $5.00 a month helps us build the Party and help our candidates.  Winning elections requires resources;  please consider being a sustaining member.

Our Mission Statement:  The Warren County Democratic Party strives to elect Democratic candidates and promote Democratic issues that reflect our commitment to social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and effective government. By raising awareness of our party and its core beliefs through meetings, forums, trainings, social events, and community service, we will strengthen our community and create a more balanced electorate.

"We are Democrats because we care about others and the world around us"

Copyright © 2019 Warren County Democratic Party, All rights reserved.


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