Obituary of Eileen Solem Blackwood

Eileen Solem Blackwood, 63, of Duluth, passed away peacefully on Dec. 1, 2016 in St. Luke's Hospice. Eileen was born in Duluth, on April 26, 1953 to Edwin and Jean (Nykanen) Solem. She attended Central High School and graduated in 1971. Over the next two decades, Eileen raised her family and worked as an entrepreneur. In 1993 she graduated summa cum laude from St. Scholastica with a B.A. in Computer Science. In 1994, Eileen accepted a position with HighJump as a Support Manager and All Around HighJump Guru. Her career at HighJump led her to Minneapolis, Australia and back to Duluth. Eileen was a voracious reader of science fiction. She also enjoyed gardening and was especially fond of the two years she spent living and working in Australia. Eileen will be remembered for her quick wit, generosity and selfless nature. She was preceded in death by her parents; and son, Jeffery. Eileen is survived by husband, Michael; children, Krissy (Scott) Trapp, James (Jill) Blackwood, Kate (Dan) Bailey, Andrew (Deanna) and Patrick (Lindsay) Blackwood; 15 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; sister, Elaine (Andy) Geimer; one niece Sarah Geimer; two nephews, Alaric (Amanda) and Joseph Geimer as well as many extended family members and friends. The family thanks the staff at St. Luke's for the extraordinary care they provided Eileen over the course of her illness. GATHERING OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS: 2 to 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 in Cremation Society of Minnesota 4100 Grand Ave. Duluth. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the St. Luke's Foundation. Cremation Society of Minnesota 218-624-5200