Helen Olson September 09, 1928 – March 10, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| View Guestbook Entries| Send Sympathy Card Helen Inga (Lovstuen) Olson, age 90, of Decorah, IA, died Sunday, March 10, 2019, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, IA. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 18, 2019, at the Glenwood Lutheran Church rural Decorah, IA, with Pastor Stacey Nalean-Carlson officiating. Burial will be in the Glenwood East Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Sunday, March 17, 2019, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Schluter-Balik Funeral Home in Decorah, IA, and after 10:00 a.m. on Monday at the church. Helen was born September 9, 1928 to Inga (Ehrie) and Helmer Lovstuen at their farm (established 1854) in Glenwood Township, Winneshiek County. She was baptized and confirmed at Glenwood Lutheran Church.
Helen attended Glenwood #5 (Lee) country school and graduated from Decorah High School as valedictorian of the class of 1947. She worked for Attorney Shea as a secretary until she married. On September 25, 1949, she married Vernon Thomas Lien Olson at Glenwood Lutheran Church with Rev.
Norman Dversdahl officiating. They farmed with her parents and purchased the family farm in 1955 where they raised their 7 children. Helen enjoyed attending Vern’s softball games and the many activities of their children and grandchildren.
She was an avid spectator at many area sporting events. Helen liked sewing, baking, playing cards, reading and crossword puzzles. She was an active member of Glenwood Lutheran Church, including Mother’s Club, Ladies Aid and Circle.
She also volunteered with Hospice and RSVP and was an Arc of Winneshiek County member. Throughout her life, Helen was a thoughtful, caring and loving wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, cousin, aunt, friend and neighbor. She was known for sharing her raspberries and baked goods with others.
Since you are reading this, you have probably received one of the many greeting cards she sent for every occasion. Helen’s survivors include daughters: Dianne (Joel) Borowski, Decorah; Donna Faldet, Decorah; Vicki (Dave) Westendorf, Waverly, IA; Linda Olson, Ames, IA and Lisa Olson (Deb Melrose), Minneapolis, MN; son-in-law Keith Ellingson, Indianola, IA; 16 grandchildren: Wade (Jennifer) Teslow, Ryan (Katie) Teslow, Sarah (Ted) Strahm, Beth Borowski; Holly (Bill) Sires, Michael (Sarah) McConnell, Michelle (Pat) Blake, Felicia Faldet (Don Richardson) and Cassandra (Jeremiah) Cook; Jordan (Jake) Larson, Jenny (Tim) Jensen, Tom (Lacie) Westendorf, Amy (Jeremey) Stevens; Jessica (Joel) Hull, Catie Ellingson and Bailey (Andrew) Nelson; and 36 great-grandchildren: Logan, Tierani, Brynley and Ryker Teslow, Landon and Lennox Teslow, Hudson, Rylan and Avery Strahm; Preston and Mason Sires, Collin and Caroline McConnell, Brock, Abigail, Luke and Jude Blake, Isabelle, Jaxon, Katerina and Lucy Cook; Blake, Quinn and Drew Larson, Jocelyn Roof and Fletcher Gerrans, Chase and Chloe Westendorf, Mayson Sutton, Natalie Sutton and Neela Stevens; Hayden, Leah, and Lauren Hull, Tucker and Teddy Nelson; and the family of Arlin Hanson. Helen was preceded in death by her husband Vernon, son Randy, daughter Kristi Ellingson, great-granddaughter Caitlin Sires; sisters-in-law: Agnes (Donald) Gilson, Irene (Hillman) Sersland, Viola (John) Swingle, Ruth Storey, Florence (Henry) Ode, Myrtle (Lloyd) Graham, Stella “Kelly” (Robert) Mitchell; brother-in-law Millard (Maxine) Olson; and special friend Arlin Hanson.
Memorials are suggested to Glenwood Cemetery Fund at 1197 Old Stage Rd. Decorah, Iowa 52101, Special Olympics of Iowa at551 Dovetail Rd Grimes, Iowa 50111 or Aase Haugen Capital Campaign at 5 Ohio St. Decorah, Iowa 52101.
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