Roger Elton Kolstad

Roger Elton Kolstad of Forest Lake passed away on December 8, 2021, surrounded by family. He was 83 years old. On May 19, 1938, Roger was born in Virginia, MN, to Cecelia Kolstad (Lambert) and Carl Olsen Kolstad. He was the fourth of seven children raised on the Iron Range in Parkville, MN. During his childhood, he and his family lived in Panama while his father pursued a career in drilling exploration. They returned to Parkville in 1948. During his teenage years, Roger and his siblings spent their days at the family cabin on Lake Vermilion, honing their skills fishing, hunting, and exploring the outdoors. Roger was all-conference in varsity football and basketball. Roger graduated from Mountain Iron High School in 1956 and joined the National Guard. After the Guard, he traveled for a time by motorcycle and landed in Seattle to work for Boeing building airliners. His love of flying and airplanes continued throughout his life. Returning home in 1960, Roger received his barber certification. At this time, he met and married the love of his life, Sylvia Anich. They were married until Sylvia passed in February 2019. The couple moved to the Twin Cities, where Roger opened a barbershop and salon in Circle Pines, MN, that he owned until 1975. Roger and Sylvia raised three children, twins Jeffery, Jodi, and son Bradley. The family took wonderful summer trips to Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, and Seattle. In addition, they all spent innumerable weekends with relatives and friends on Lake Vermilion and Trout Lake. The love of flying and the travel bug bit again as Roger earned his pilot's license in 1972. He bought and restored a Piper PA12 to give rides to family and friends. He then flew to Alaska for a once-in-a-lifetime hunting and fishing trip. He sold the plane and bought a first-class ticket home. He brought back salmon, king crab, and a Dall sheep from the Brooks Range. In the mid-70's Roger switched careers, got a real estate broker's license, and opened Northland Realty. He was successful until a stroke forced him to retire in 2004. Roger's favorite projects were at the beginning and end of his career, where his vision and design expertise helped his partners develop the Lino Lakes Air Park and The Lakes Project in Blaine. These two developments incorporated his two loves in life: flying and lakes. When Roger suffered a debilitating stroke in 2004, Sylvia, his children, and his grandkids worked diligently with him using flashcards, computers, and labeling around the house so he could communicate again. Finally, after much effort and perseverance, he learned to speak, read, and even drive again! Roger will be fondly remembered for his kind and unwavering commitment to family and friends, his entrepreneurial spirit, his love of flying, boating, and being outdoors, all of which he passed down to his children and grandchildren. His inexplicable preference for the Green Bay Packers was not passed down. Roger is survived by two sons, Jeff and Brad (Sue), daughter Jodi (Mernie) Budde, and seven grandchildren: Brooke, Marin, Sam, Claire, Derek (Molly), Amanda, Amy, and great-grandchildren Henry, Vivian, and Charles. Roger is preceded in death by his loving wife of 55 years, Sylvia, parents Cecilia and Carl, brothers Jerry and Tom, and sister Pat. A celebration of Roger's life 3 PM Sunday, January 16th with visitation beginning at 1 PM at Roberts Family Funeral Home, Forest Lake. The celebration of life will be livestreamed here: https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1640040771154985