Elizabeth Margit Myhre Skadeland (Liz), 84, of Malvern, Pennsylvania, died Monday morning, April 7, 2025, peacefully in her home with family present.
She was born July 30, 1940, in Nelson County, in McVille, North Dakota, to Olger and Florence Myhre.
As the daughter of a pioneering North Dakota educator, her most cherished childhood memories were a blended experience of school and family for Olger and Florence’s four children. Homes for superintendents were sometimes inside school buildings and Elizabeth fondly remembered the perks of this lifestyle - roller skating and riding bicycles up and down hallways and around gymnasiums after school hours during the long winter season in northeastern North Dakota, and a strong love for reading. Elizabeth frequently accompanied her father in out-of-town speaking and teaching events so that he didn’t have to drive alone. She recalled that she and her parents could easily talk about everything. As a result, simple conversation became a strength for Elizabeth for the rest of her life, and her children, grandchildren, and friends would always be appreciative of her counseling. On weekend and evening trips to Grand Forks and Winnipeg with her father, Elizabeth additionally attended dance and music instruction.
At the age of twelve, Elizabeth moved westward with her family to the neighborhood surrounding Minot State University and Minot Model High School, where she would work in various office roles supporting education administration for her father and his colleagues. Elizabeth’s writing and grammar skills were assets in the business of teacher placement, and she continued to accompany her father as he worked in the education and agriculture community. Elizabeth received her high school diploma in 1958, and enrolled at Minot State University, planning to become a gym teacher. She was one grading unit away from a degree before she decided to put her career plans aside and devote herself to her new family in 1961. During her time in Minot, she also continued her dance instruction and taught in neighboring towns.
After marrying Thomas Wesley Skadeland on November 23, 1961, she and Tom started their family in the Minneapolis/St Paul area, where they lived for seven years and the first three of their four children were born. Everywhere Liz lived, it was easy for her to make new friends and try new activities, like her skiing lessons in Minnesota. Summer and winter trips to visit Tom and Liz’s parents and siblings became yearly pilgrimages for their family and created lifetime bonds and memories.
Tom’s job moved the family to Houston, Texas, for four years, and their fourth child was born. Liz easily gained new friends in her neighborhood and within Tom’s business associates. She also learned to love the Galveston, Texas beach life. Weekend car trips in their wood-sided station wagon, with a cooler of food, and a car full of four young adventurers would end with a lot of sand, sea shells, and other treasures from the shore. After these outings, Liz made sure all four children would line up to share a little conversation with their grandparents in the North Country. Liz also made sure her children learned to write regularly to their grandparents during this time of their life.
Chicago, Illinois was the family’s next home for three more years, where Liz made sure during all these various relocations that her children would never miss the opportunities allowed by public schooling and Lutheran upbringing. Liz sewed whatever her children needed during these years: cheerleading uniforms, class play costumes, holiday attire.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was her last family home, beginning in 1976, the year of the United States Bicentennial celebration. It was on Westwind Drive, her new next door neighbor, Zita Derham, became her forever friend, along with many other important neighbors Liz would keep forever in close contact. The trips to see the grandparents and family in the North Country continued in customized vans, with Liz entertaining everyone with her new communication skills on a CB radio along the highways. Liz continued as support staff in the Tredyffrin-Easton school district until all four of her children earned their diplomas. After she and Tom divorced, she busied herself in office work (in particular, as an executive assistant at Metso Minerals for twelve years), weekends at the New Jersey shore with close friends, and her next favorite family position as matriarch to her many grandchildren, with whom she genuinely owned a close connection. Facebook became a new skill for Liz to keep in touch with cherished extended family and voice her political opinions during the last few elections. She was proud to have experienced Facebook jail time for a bit.
When she made her final home in the nearby suburb of Malvern, she found comfort in conversation before-and-after meals with other senior friends and friendly staff at Sunrise. Liz, also, continued her daily chats with her friends, children, and grandchildren, in person, on the iPhone, or through “likes” and comments on her Facebook until her very last day.
Elizabeth is survived by her children: daughter, Patricia (Jon) Luetzen, Polson, MT, and her children Danielle (Carter) Rowney, great grandsons Anders and Brooks, and Kent Luetzen; daughter Paula (Richard) Blake, Hagerstown, MD, and their children Thomas (Chelsea), Nicholas, and Andrew Blake; son Daniel (Kathy) Skadeland, Phoenixville, PA, and his daughter Samantha Skadeland; and daughter Peggy (Hank) Julicher, Phoenixville, PA, and their children Alexis (JJ ) Hennessy, great grandsons Jeremiah and Asher, and Brooke (Mike) Linn, great granddaughter Eleanor and Genevieve, and Kyle, Nicole, and Chase Julicher. She is also survived by her siblings: Mike (Dixie) Myhre, Pony, MT; Kelly (Tom) Schussler, Missoula, MT; Patric (Jan) Myhre, Bismarck, ND.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Olger and Florence Myhre, Minot, ND; her son-in-law Rand (Patricia) Luetzen, Berthold, ND; and her maternal and paternal aunts, uncles, and cousins who lived close by.
The first celebration of Elizabeth’s life will be held on Wednesday, July 30, at 11am, at First Lutheran Church, Minot, ND. She will be buried beside her parents in Rosehill Memorial Cemetery.
A second celebration of Elizabeth’s life will be held at a later date at Catagnus Funeral Home, Royersford, PA. Please share memories or condolences to celebrate Elizabeth’s life.