Obituary for Grace Olson Grace Olson, age 88, died peacefully surrounded by family on April 21, 2018 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. Grace Sigurd Marie Jothen was born to Reverend Rudolph and Evangeline (Erickson) Jothen on September 13, 1929, in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. She grew up in the parsonage as her father served the rural parish of South Rush River (now Our Savior’s) Lutheran Church, near Ellsworth, Wisconsin.
She attended 8 grades of a one-room school house where, she told her grandchildren, she was valedictorian of her class of two. After graduating from Ellsworth High School, she studied at and graduated from Saint Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota in 1951. While there, she met the love of her life, Richard (Dick) Olson, from Spokane, Washington.
Jo, her accepted nickname, and Dick were married June 8, 1951, at her home church, South Rush River Lutheran Church, in a ceremony presided over by her father and older brother, the Reverend Arthur Jothen. The newlyweds then moved to Spokane, Washington. While in Spokane, their three children were born, Tom, Liz, and Janet.
In 1962, a promotion took the family to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and in 1970, Dick was called to finish his career at the home office in Minneapolis. Jo accepted the full-time job of mother and housewife willingly and she, with Dick, committed to raising her family in the Christian faith, or as they knew it to be: Lutheran. She was active in the life of the churches that her family belonged to, including membership at Saint James Lutheran Church in Crystal, Minnesota for 48 years.
She served as organist, choir member, and bell ringer. She was proud to see her children attend and participate in their religious upbringing. Jo and Dick enjoyed 67 year of marriage, raising the family, travelling, and socializing with dear family and friends.
The last 21 years were spent in retirement, living in their Minnetonka, Minnesota condominium. Jo shared her time and talents as a volunteer at North Memorial Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Ebenezer Nursing Home, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and over 20 years at the Minnetonka Library. She shared her beautiful knitting skills with involvement in the Saint James Prayer Shawl Group.
She knitted endless baby hats and blankets she donated to local charities. Jo is survived by her loving husband of 67 years Dick; son, the Honorable Tom (Sandra Leyland) Olson, Fargo North Dakota; daughter Liz (Rich) Kroschel, Hinckley, Minnesota; and daughter Janet (Dave Wisdorf) Olson, Minnetonka, Minnesota. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Katie (Chris), Erika (Ryan), Joseph (Andrew), Ryan (Katie), Emily (Erik), Brian, Maggie (Eric), Jerilynd, Michael, Mikayla, and Madison.
Her legacy also includes 9 great grandchildren, Isaac, Elliot, Sam, Ben, Charlie, Andy, Finley, Miles, and Simon. Jo is also survived by sister-in-law, Donna Wallis of Fullerton, California, as well as many nieces and nephews. Grace was preceded in death by her loving parents, Rudolf and Evangeline Jothen; brother Arthur and sister-in-law Betty Jothen; and nephew Mark Jothen.
Memorials may be directed to the Saint James Lutheran Church (Crystal, Minnesota) Memorial Fund.
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