Bobby Vee

Birth Name: Robert Thomas Velline

Date of Birth: April 30, 1943

Place of Birth: Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.

Date of Death: October 24, 2016

Place of Death: Rogers, Minnesota, U.S.

Ethnicity:
*Norwegian (father)
*Finnish (mother)

Bobby Vee was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He was a teen idol of the early 1960s.

Bobby was the son of Saima Cecelia and Sydney Ronald Velline, who was a chef, pianist, and fiddle player. His parents were born in North Dakota, his father of Norwegian descent, and his mother of Finnish ancestry. Bobby was married to Karen Bergen, until her death, with whom he had four children. Bobby and his wife organized fundraising concerts in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where they lived.

Bobby’s paternal grandfather was Christ Orlando Sjøthun/Velline (the son of Ole Kristensen Sjøtun and Brithe Helgesdatter Thue). Christ was born in Vellene, Sjøtun, Balestrand, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. Ole was the son of Kristen Marcussen Sjøtun and Kari Olsdatter Sjøtun. Brithe was the daughter of Helge Baardson Thue and Synneva Bottolvsdatter Gjerde.

Bobby’s paternal grandmother was Christine/Kristine Thomasdatter Fimreite/Nilsen (the daughter of Thorstein/Tomas Nilsson Fimreite/Øyre and Anna Hansdatter Midtun). Christine was born in Sogndalsfjøra, Sogndal, Sogn og Fjordane. Thorstein was the son of Nils Thomassen Øyre and Kirsti Olsdatter Saeboe/Sæbø. Anna was the daughter of Hans Midtun and Ragnhild Fimreite.

Bobby’s maternal grandfather was Jacob/Jaakko Jacobsson/Jaakonpoika Tapanila (the son of Jacob Mattsson Piippo Tapanila and Johanna Karolina Pyhtilä). Jakko’s parents were from Oulu, Finland.

Bobby’s maternal grandmother was named Lilja/Silja Britta Vayrynen. Silja was born in Finland.

Sources: Genealogies of Bobby Vee – https://www.geni.com
https://www.familysearch.org