Hints of a faraway Nordic land are sprinkled throughout a quaint home on Second Avenue in Silverhill—a Swedish “love knot” hanging from a door, a small sign biding visitors “Välkommen,” rather than welcome, and a meal’s blessing murmured in a language that is slowly being forgotten as many of the small town’s residents age.

Malcolm “Bub” Fosberg, 83, has been a resident of Silverhill his entire life, and his wife Jo, also 83, moved there from Mobile when she was 16.

Bub’s grandfather immigrated to the United States from Sweden in the late 1800s, and the family moved from Moline, Ill. to the small Swedish colony in 1900 after a doctor told Bub’s grandfather the South would be good for his health.

Bub was born in Silverhill and grew up hearing Swedish and Czech being spoken around town. His parents spoke Swedish, but he didn’t pick much of it up, he said. He still remembers ninth grade at Robertsdale High School, where he and his friends were known as “the foreign kids from Silverhill,” he said.

One of his most vivid memories is of going to the People’s Supply Company, which was a grocery store during his childhood. The store would sometimes order supplies to make unique Swedish dishes when people wanted a taste of their heritage.

“They’d get a big barrel of dried fish, and then he would sell it to the Swedes,” Bub said. They’d soak it, and it swells, and they have a cream sauce they make to go over it, and it smells terrible.”

Bub is Swedish, but he never could stand the dish, he said.

Although Jo is not of Swedish descent and grew up in Mobile, she is one of Silverhill’s proudest residents. She served as the grand marshal at Silverhill’s Heritage Day Sept. 15. She wore traditional Swedish clothing, which the couple first saw on their two visits to Sweden more than 15 years ago. 

Bub also participated in Heritage Day by telling people on the walking tour the history of Silverhill First Baptist, where he and Jo met, got married 64 years ago and still attend church.

The Fosbergs have always been extremely involved at their church, where they sang in the choir for a total of 103 years combined. He was just a choir member, but Jo is still known for her solos, even though she can’t sing anymore, Bub said.

Bub and Jo were also involved with the youth at church, and they even hosted two foreign exchange students in the late 60s and early 70s.

“If the doors (of the church) were open, they were there,” said Sandra Boyd, Fosbergs daughter. “They’ve had an impact on a lot of people who have come through that church.”

Bub and Jo also have a son, Larry, who lives in Columbus, Miss. 

For years, Jo was active in Eastern Star, bowled, played softball and she and Bub enjoyed playing cards with friends every Friday night for many years.

Since they’ve retired from jobs and church duties, the Fosbergs have adopted new hobbies.

Currently, Jo enjoys spending her Tuesday afternoons volunteering at Silverhill’s Oscar Johnson Memorial Library.

“I check people in and out and put books up,” she said. “I do it because they said they needed volunteers.”

After retiring from the insurance business, Bub took up carpentry as a new hobby. He and Jo proudly show visitors his wooden tables, jewelry boxes, bookcases and other sleek pieces of furniture he has crafted from mostly pecan wood.

“Everybody in the family has got bookcases and things he’s made,” Boyd said. “And since I’ve retired, me and dad have had a couple of projects we’ve worked on together—we even made a bed.”

Although the Fosbergs have had to slow down their busy lives the past couple of years, they are still lively and as active as possible.

“They’re always doing something,” Boyd said. “That’s what’s kept them living so long.”