Birthe Jakobsen turned 90 in Randers on Friday and was met by her Norwegian pen pal of 80 years, Inger Stette. The reunion was a surprise arranged by her granddaughter.
Birthe Jakobsen had no idea what was coming when her granddaughter, Simone Jakobsen, got her up from the sofa on her birthday. Avisen Danmark reports that Simone told her only that there was a surprise waiting.
Birthe Jakobsen first guessed it might be a vase for flowers. Instead, her Norwegian pen pal Inger Stette walked through the door. According to the outlet, the two women had not seen each other in person since 1994.
Birthe Jakobsen recognized her friend at once and was moved to tears. The report notes that she normally relies on a walker, but crossed the room to embrace Inger Stette. Inger Stette, who is 91, congratulated her on the day.
Pen pals since 1946
The two met in 1946 during a pupil exchange between the twin cities of Randers and Ålesund. Since then they have written countless handwritten letters between the two cities, per Avisen Danmark. Last week’s visit was only the fifth time they have met face to face.
Inger Stette brought letters, photographs and a gift, including a book she had made for her friend. As reported by Avisen Danmark, Birthe Jakobsen said the visit surpassed everything and that she had not dared to dream of it.
The trip was organized around the milestone birthday. Inger Stette and her daughter, Liv Stette, were collected at Aarhus Airport on Thursday by Simone Jakobsen and Birthe Jakobsen’s daughter, Rie Jakobsen. The birthday celebrations continued on Saturday with the whole family.
How the surprise came about
Simone Jakobsen, who is 35, said the idea came during a visit to her grandmother. Birthe Jakobsen was sitting with a letter from Inger Stette, and Simone thought it would be a shame if the two never met again. She then contacted Inger Stette to invite her to Denmark.
According to the same report, Inger Stette did not hesitate, on the condition that her daughter could travel with her. Simone Jakobsen said her grandmother had not suspected anything and was deeply moved. Inger Stette described the two of them as friends for life.
The city link behind the friendship remains active. A press notice from Randers Kommune dated August 10, 2026, states that Randers is hosting delegations from its Nordic twin cities, including Ålesund. The notice does not mention Birthe Jakobsen or Inger Stette.
A Norwegian-language overview of twin city ties on Wikipedia lists Ålesund as twinned with Randers since 1947. Avisen Danmark is so far the only outlet to have reported on the reunion.
