Olson, Melvin 1896-1995

GULSVIG, OLSON, MORK, GUNDERSON

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 10/9/2009 at 13:46:47

Melvin Olson

Funeral services for Melvin Olson were held Monday, October 16, 1995 at 1:30 p.m. at Schutte's Clermont Funeral Chapel in Clermont, Iowa. The Reverend Marshal Hahn from the Marion Lutheran Church in Gunder officiated. Pat Butikofer was the organist. Schutte Funeral Service of Clermont was in charge of arrangements. interment was in the West Union Cemetery at West Union, Iowa.

Melvin Olson, son of Ole K. and Ingeborg (Gulsvig) Olsen (sic), was born April 16, 1896, on a farm one-half mile south of Gunder in Marion Township, near Elgin, Iowa. He died Friday morning, October 13, 1995 in Maple Crest Manor at Fayette, Iowa. He had reached the age of 99 years, 5 months and 27 days.

He was baptized May 24, 1896 in Marion Lutheran Church at Gunder and confirmed there on June 11, 1911. Melvin attended the Palas School northeast of Gunder. He served in the U.S. Army as a Sergeant of the Motor Transport Corps during World War I. He was discharged February 20, 1919. After returning from war, Melvin helped his parents on the farm. His family moved to Minnesota where they raised potatoes, but returned to Iowa to farm again in the Elgin area.

On February 4, 1920, Melvin and Klara Mork were united in marriage at the home of her parents. They farmed for three years on a farm next to Klara's parents. They rented farms in the area and in 1937, Melvin and Klara purchased a farm on the southwestern edge of West Union where they raised purebred hogs and Melvin sold Pioneer Seed Corn. Melvin owned a threshing machine and a big tractor to pull it, so as they did in those days, they had a "threshing ring" which went around to area farms and threshed the oats. Melvin and Klara were special people to their nephews and nieces, who would go to stay with them at times during the year. They would be allowed to do the things they liked, such as walking to town with Klara to get treats, fishing in the creek, wading in the mud with Melvin's big boots, getting stuck and having to be pulled out, taking lunch to Melvin in the field, eating their favorite foods and drinking kool-ade in the winter. Another memorable time was when Klara was upset because they were helping to tar the roof and got tar all over their clothes.

Melvin enjoyed farming with horses. Later, he enjoyed his cars, took good care of them and liked to drive around the country and take trips to the south in the winter. He drove until he was in his nineties. He was also proud of the fact that he had reached an age that was greater than any other member of his family.

He is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Cornelius ("Cooney") and Edwin and a brother that died at birth and a sister, Jelena (Mrs. Harry Gunderson).

Surviving Melvin are sister-in-law, Mrs. Ruth (Paul) Liddle of Waukon, IA, Mrs. Emma Imholte of Milwaukee, WI, Mrs. Rosella (Henry) Mork and Mrs. Georgia (Kenneth) Mork, both of Elgin, IA, Mrs. Stella (Abel) Mork of West Union and his many nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

Casket Bearers were Lucille Hubbard, Wayne Sawyer, Dale Anderson, Janann Seabrooke, Vina Shipton and Charles Feller.

Postville Herald newspaper clipping from my mother's obituary collection.
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