Finn Egil Walstad

Finn-Egil Walstad passed away peacefully on August 19, 2023, at the age of 79.

He was born in Drammen, Norway, on August 8, 1944, and was the only child of Kristen Walstad and Lilly Eriksen. Born into very humble beginnings, Finn embarked on a remarkable journey that would come to define a life characterized by resilience and determination. In 1944, World War II was in full swing, and Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany. He often talked about the rationing of essentials and sacrifices made during this time. He biked or skied to school every day, and would often bring his rifle with him so that he could hunt to provide food for his family. He never forgot these difficult times and it shaped the way he would live the remainder of his life.

In 1959, Finn and his parents traveled by ship to America. They arrived in New York and traveled by train to Montana where they stayed with Finn's uncle and family, Emil Valstad, for six months. During this time, Finn fell in love with Montana. Upon returning to Norway, he attended the Telemark Technical School (Telemark Yrkesskule) and studied Engineering. He graduated and joined the Norwegian Merchant Marines where he had the opportunity to travel the world by the time he reached the age of 18. Norway was still recovering from the War, and Finn's parents encouraged him to emigrate to America. In 1963, four years after his first trip, he emigrated to Conrad, Montana, with his uncle as his legal guardian. Finn developed a strong bond with this extended family, and he remained very close with them throughout his life. He attended Conrad High School where he learned English, and later attended the University of Montana. Finn became a United States citizen in 1968 at the young age of 24.

After obtaining citizenship, Finn wanted to give back to his adopted country. He joined the United States Coast Guard and served in Vietnam. After serving, Finn returned to the University of Montana to study business. He was an entrepreneur at heart, and he had a keen eye for opportunities and a fearless approach to challenges. It was during his time in business school that he started his first company, NORDAK, importing wool sweaters from Norway and selling them to ski stores across the country. Fueled by the success of his initial business endeavor, Finn forged ahead on a career-long journey in entrepreneurship. He would continue to innovate and adjust his strategies in response to shifting circumstances. He went on to develop a childrens' school backpack, which landed him his first large national contract and the opportunity to promote his new product on a Wheaties box. Finn also obtained contracts with the United States Government to manufacture disposable pillowcases for the medical service and disposable sleeping bags for the Forest Service, both requiring an innovative new product redesign. His next endeavor was to manufacture ski sweaters, and he founded the brand ROCKEE. He sold the sweaters nationally and internationally to France, England, Italy, Spain, Norway, Sweden, and China. Finn later developed a high-end line of non-shrink cotton garments out of a fabric he invented. Needing more space than he had in Great Falls, he purchased an established factory in Tacoma, Washington. The factory was 24,000 square feet and employed 350 people at its peak. He sold to many national name brand labels during this time, including Lands' End, Eddie Bauer, L. L. Bean, Dillard's, and Nordstrom.

During a business trip to Portland, Finn met Virginia Schaefer. They married in 1971 in Pasco, Washington, and settled in Great Falls, Montana. It was in Great Falls that they built their home and set up the heart of their business operations. In 1990, the family moved to Tacoma, Washington, when Finn expanded his textile business. Virginia dedicated much of her time to supporting Finn in various facets of the business and their collaboration exemplified a true partnership. Finn and Virginia raised three children, Krist (1978), Kirt (1980), and Kory (1982), and shared 51 years of marriage together.

Finn found immense joy and pride in the accomplishments of his three sons. A devoted father, he always supported and encouraged his boys. Holter Lake held a very special place in Finn's heart, and many summers were spent on the lake fishing, storytelling by the campfire, and water skiing behind their small metal fishing boat. Finn also had a passion for snow skiing that he shared with his family, and as soon as his boys were walking, he was getting them fitted for skis. He always jokingly said, "If you don't ski, you won't get to heaven!" After all, Finn would tell you he could ski before he could walk. Being good Norwegians meant they spent every weekend possible at the ski hill. Many memorable weekends were shared on the slopes of Showdown and Crystal Mountain. Finn also enjoyed hunting and shooting with his boys, and there are many great memories exploring the Montana countryside together. Despite Finn's inexperience with many of the sports his sons played, he jumped at the opportunity to coach several soccer teams and was known to referee from time to time. Finn was also a seasoned traveler and loved taking his family on trips. They had many memorable vacations together, including several overseas to his home in Norway.

In 2012, Finn and Virginia relocated to Idaho Falls, Idaho, driven by the desire to be closer to their children. This move granted them more opportunities to enjoy quality time with their beloved grandchildren. Visits from his grandchildren always brought immense joy to Finn. His face would instantly illuminate with happiness the moment they entered the room.

Finn is survived by his wife, Virginia; sons, Krist Walstad (Sarrah), Kirt Walstad (Heather), and Kory Walstad (Cristy); grandchildren, Maren, Lilly, Karlen, Allie, Leif, Leah, and Seamus; and many more beloved members of his extended family.

A Celebration of Finn's Life will be held at Crown of Life Lutheran Church, 3856 E. 300 N., Rigby, Idaho, on Saturday, September 9, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Crown of Life Lutheran Church in Rigby.

Finn was a wild, spontaneous, stubborn, Norwegian Entrepreneur until the very end.