Margaret Dunn Solheim

MADISON - Margaret Dunn Solheim, age 95, died on November 2, 2025, in her apartment at Oak Park Place in Madison. She was born on April 5, 1930, in Poynette, Wis., to Neil and Albina (Waugh) Dunn.

After graduating near the top of her class from Poynette High, she headed to the University of Wisconsin, where she majored in journalism. A class assignment to interview a fellow UW student from her hometown led her to Keith Solheim and romance. Margaret and Keith married on September 15, 1951, in Poynette. Margaret left college before she graduated to have their first daughter, Darcelle (Darcy), who was born in May 1953. A second daughter, Rhonda, was born in August 1954 and their son, Mark, was born in March 1957.

While the children were young, Margaret worked part-time at jobs that smart, capable women without a college degree typically did: secretarial work and proofreading at the local newspaper. When Keith’s career took the family to Baltimore in 1967, Margaret finished her BA in English at Towson State College and became a social services case worker for the state of Maryland. She worked her way up to supervisor and retired in 1990.

Margaret was a talented pianist who loved playing tunes from the American Songbook as family sang along. As a teenager she played piano for church services and weddings, and she sang in the church choir most of her life. Lucid and feisty until the end, Margaret was an avid reader, with a particular passion for Louise Penny. She followed family and friends on Facebook and kept abreast of current events. She was a fan of PBS and especially British mysteries, but her favorite TV show was Jeopardy.

Margaret spent much of the nineties babysitting grandchildren and waiting for Keith to retire. When he finally did, they moved to Florida. That began a period of frequent travel, mainly as members of an Elderhostel choir that performed throughout Europe. In 2011, Keith and Margaret moved back to Madison, where they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. Keith died two years later. Margaret will be buried next to Keith at the Rocky Run cemetery, near the farm where she grew up.

Margaret is survived by her daughters, Darcy Tierney and Rhonda Ashburn; son, Mark Solheim; brother, Gordon Dunn; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Solheim; and parents, Neil and Albina Dunn.

A memorial service will take place at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison, at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in honor of Margaret to Agrace HospiceCare (agrace.org).

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420