Nola Mae Vann Woldseth, 85, died on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025, at her son's home in
Madison, Wisconsin. She had entered this world in her grandparents' (Zach and Ola Lee) home
outside Dunn, North Carolina, on September 23, 1939. The daughter of Riley Warren Vann and
Gladys Mae Lee Vann grew up on their farm. She would enjoy watching Westerns and listening
to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio, and, to the amusement of many, she apparently
occasionally served as a lookout for moonshiners. She graduated Dunn High School in the Class
of 1957. Like the popular Statler Brothers song from the group she loved and heard in concert,
she "had her dreams."
Those dreams took her to Southeastern Bible College (now Southeastern University) in
Lakeland, Florida. There, she met George Woldseth, who was the son of Scandinavian
immigrants and came from Brooklyn, New York. She had never seen anyone playing chess
before and watched him play out of the intellectual curiosity she never lost in life. He liked
what he saw in her and mutual friends tricked her into a group date. After many chaperoned
dates, in the middle of a lake where the boat engine unfortunately gave out, she received a
marriage proposal she nevertheless accepted. George and Nola married August 24, 1958, at
the Glad Tidings Assembly of God in Dunn, North Carolina.
Nola dropped out of school to support her husband until he graduated and entered the
ministry. They would have three sons, and each son would receive a family name and a Biblical
name since family and God were so important to her.
After the birth of her final child, Nola decided it was time to finish her education. After putting
her children to bed each night, she would study for her college courses. Commuting to River
Falls, Nola graduated with honors and a double major in psychology and elementary education
from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Nola taught for many years, and her lilting
Carolina accent brought smiles to many in small town Wisconsin.
Upon her retirement, she moved to St. Petersburg, Florida, until returning to Wisconsin to be
with her son, David, in her last years of life.
Nola was preceded in death by her brother, Larry Dale Vann, in 1989 and her sister, Brenda Lou
Vann, in 2021 as well as her parents, Riley Warren and Gladys Mae Lee Vann, in 2001 and 2010.
On May 17, 2004, her husband, George, died.
Surviving Nola are: three sons, George Paul (Linda) Woldseth of Seminole, Florida, James Riley
Woldseth of St. Petersburg, Florida, and David Allen Woldseth of Madison, Wisconsin; four
grandchildren: Amanda (Juan) Arizaga, Jacob (Tiana) Woldseth, Joshua (Taylor) Woldseth, and
Brady Woldseth; and seven great-grandchildren: Hayden, Nayeli, Manny, Owen, Juan, Evelyna,
and Elian.

A family graveside service has been planned for Saturday, April 26, 2025 at 10:00am. Nola will be buried
beside her husband at the Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Petersburg, Florida. The family is
being assisted by the DeGusipe Funeral Home and Crematory in St. Petersburg, Florida. In lieu
of flowers, donations may be made to Agrace Foundation, 5395 E. Cheryl Parkway, Madison, WI
53711, the hospice that served her and her family well in her final days.