*Arvid Ronning, of Stanwood, Wash., passed peacefully into God’s eternal home, on May 25, 2014, after a long struggle with dementia. Arvid was born at his parents’ farm home in eastern Montana, to Svend and Katie Ronning. He and his three younger siblings, Avis, Kennet, and Sonja, plus a couple of neighbors, attended the Lamar Country School located on his parents’ property. Arvid graduated from Bainville, Mont. High School in 1954. While a student at St. Olaf College, he took the opportunity to attend the International Summer School in Oslo, Norway. His experiences in Norway that summer greatly enlarged his appreciation for his Norwegian heritage, especially since he had learned to speak Norwegian at home as a child. He received a B.S. degree in biology in 1958 and was a Phi Beta Kappa scholar.

Having decided to become a physician, he applied for an assistantship at the University of South Dakota Medical School in Vermillion, S.D., and spent three years there teaching anatomy, doing medical research, and finishing his first two years of medical school. From there, he went to the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle, receiving his M.D. degree in June 1963. He loved beautiful Seattle, did his medical internship at the US Public Health Hospital, continued on as a physician there, and also joined the Coast Guard. He spent the early summer of 1965 aboard the Kukui, on a mission to the South Pacific.

Arvid married his love and soul-mate, Connie Berg, on Aug. 8, 1965. Five children were born to them– Svend, Arnold, Erik, Sonja, and Olen. Arvid joined the staff of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound in 1966, enjoying a huge practice. He also purchased a farm near Stanwood, moving the family there in 1979. Arvid had many talents and was active in church, Scandinavian, and community groups. He and his family performed many Scandinavian musical programs, for which he sewed bunads for the children and later for in-laws, and served as the family MC. A highlight was performing for King Olaf V of Norway in Poulsbo in 1975. He spent his last 10 months at Ashley Gardens of Mt. Vernon, Wash., and received excellent compassionate care from all the staff.

Arvid is survived by wife and children, as well as three grandchildren, Ava, Kristen, and Andreas; sisters, Avis and Sonja; sister-in-law, LaVonne; plus numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and many friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Kennet, and nephews, Brian and Larry.

Memorial gifts may be given to “Doctors Without Borders” in New York, or to the charity of choice.