Joanne Olling Nielson, 1931-2005

NIELSON, OLLING

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 2/28/2009 at 09:31:33

Joanne Marilyn (Olling) Nielsen, the daughter of Peter and Sophie (Petersen) Olling was born May 24, 1931, in Ringsted, Iowa. She grew up on a farm outside Ringsted and attended a nearby country school as a child.

After graduating from Ringsted High School, she married Alfred “Rannie” Nielsen on May 8, 1949 in Fairmont, Minnesota and became a homemaker, raising five children. She and Rannie were happily married for nearly fifty years, living much of their working life in Bloomington, Minnesota. After retirement, they split time between their Lake Jefferson home and their winter home in Mesa Arizona. When Rannie died in 1998, Joanne moved to Mesa permanently. Throughout her life, Joanne volunteered time to the church, as a Sunday school teacher, and church administrator. In her spare time, she made and donated countless mittens, scarves, stocking hats and quilts to charities. She enjoyed people and for many years belonged to the Danish club, Sunshine club (visiting the sick and shut-in’s), Pioneer Power, and organized dances and social functions for their Mesa retirement community. She and Rannie loved “old time” music and attended dances as often as possible.

Joanne battled cancer at several points in her life. She survived breast cancer and later ovarian cancer. Ultimately, she succumbed to a recurrence. Shortly before her death, returned to the Friendship Manor Health Care Center in Shakopee, Minnesota to spend her time close to family.

Joanne is survived by five children, Donald Nielsen and his wife Patricia of Chanhassen, MN, Patsy Solon of Minneapolis, MN, Dennis Nielsen and his wife Sally of Apple Valley, MN, Debra Lorensen and her husband Keith of Chandler, AZ and Mary Pierret and her husband Jeff of Lakeville, MN; fifteen grandchildren, Sean Lorensen and his wife Jennifer, Christina Miller, Deana Kalogerson, Erika Tollefson and her husband Robert Jr., Christine Kesler and her husband Jeremiah, Vicki Kalogerson, Ross Nielsen, Nathan Nielsen, Megan Tande and her husband Steven, Lindy Miller, Aaron Kalogerson, Theresa Kalogerson, Kyle Nielsen, Andrea Nielsen, and Kerry Solon, and ten great grandchildren; Calvin Stemmer, Christian Kesler, Alexander Gaul, Zachary Kalogerson, Nathaniel Kesler, Gabriela Kesler, GraceAnn Kesler, Kalissa Lorensen, Braedon Kalogerson, Benjamin Kesler, Zachary Miller, and Jordan Kalogerson. She is preceded in death by her husband and parents.