DONALD GENE OLSON 1935-2001
OSTLIE, OLSON, KENYON, SCHUTTE, HAGER, LANTZ
Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 10/10/2009 at 18:37:55
Donald Gene Olson
Funeral services for Donald Olson were held Thursday, April 26, 2001 at 10:30 a.m. in St. Paul Lutheran Church at Postville, Iowa. The Rev. Robert Hupp officiated, assisted by the Rev. Beverly Short, pastor at the New Hope Lutheran Church in Dyersville, Iowa. Joann Martins was organist who accompanied the soloists, Ronald Meyer and Tara Moore. The Schutte Funeral and Cremation Service of Postville was in charge of arrangements. Burial was in the Marion Lutheran Cemetery at Gunder, Iowa, where military honors were held.
Donald Gene Olson, the son of Henry T. Olson and Clara (Ostlie) Olson, was born February 3, 1935 on the family farm near Gunder, Iowa. He passed away at his home in Postville on Sunday, April 22, 2001. He had reached the age of 66 years, two months, and 19 days.
He was baptized March 17, 1935 and confirmed May 29, 1949, both by the Rev. S. J. Strandjord in the Marion Lutheran Church at Gunder.
Don was graduated from Postville High School in 1952 and from the Elgin Watchmakers College in Elgin, Illinois. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.
Don was married to Jeannette (Jan) Kenyon on May 24, 1958 at Peoria, Illinois by Jan's grandfather, the Rev. Myrton Whisler. To this union three children were born, Jeffrey, Jill and Jacqueline.
Don served as an apprentice at his brother Marion's store in Monona for six months. In 1960 they moved to Elgin, Iowa and then in 1961, Don opened a jewelry store in Postville, which they operated for many years. They purchased Anderson's Clothing and moved their jewelry store into that location. They eventually added video tapes and the business became Olson's Distributing, which served a wide area. Don also sold the Maxi-Start remote car starters and was involved in the Heidelberg Gardens restaurant at Luana.
He is preceded in death by his parents, a daughter, Jill Lee Olson, a sister, Clarine Schutte, and three brothers, Hiram, Milo, and Gerald.
Surviving is his wife, Jan, a son Jeffrey Olson and his wife Janet, of Postville, and a daughter, Jacqueline and her husband Gary Hager of New Vienna, Iowa; five grandchildren, Travis, Tyra, and Dakota Olson, Jordan and Jenna Hager; a brother, Marion Olson and his wife Fern of Monona; a brother-in-law, Lloyd Schutte, of Castalia Iowa; two sisters-in-law, Belva Olson Lantz of West Union and Geraldine Olson of Elkader, his mother-in-law, Myrtle Kenyon of Low Point, Illinois, and other relatives and many friends.
While serving in the military, Don played baseball for the Army. He continued his life-long interest by playing for the town baseball team and also playing fast pitch softball on area teams. Don liked to be outdoors as was evidenced by his love of golfing and hunting and the trips he took to Canada to fish with his family and friends. He liked to bowl as well as hunt for mushrooms.
Don was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Postville. He was a member of the B. P. O. E. (Elks Club) in Decorah, the Tri-City Golf Club and various community organizations including the Commercial Club. He was inducted into the Postville Bowling Association Hall of Fame in 1981.
Casketbearers were Richard Schlee, Ralph Gunderson, Tom Hogan, Harold Everman, Jim Powell, Mervil Mabb, Carlyn Johanningmeier, Tom Benson, Mike Looney, Gordon Schupbach, and Dean Downing.
Postville Herald newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.
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