OLSON, Harriet L. (Amundson) 1913-2012

AMUNDSON, ERICKSON, NELSON, OLSON, LARSON, PENZ, HOTH, FRIEDEN, OKERY, KLUSS

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 6/15/2018 at 15:26:42

SOURCE: Grau Funeral Home funeral obituary
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

A Celebration of Life Service was held on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at the East Clermont Lutheran Church, rural Clermont, Iowa for Harriet Luella Olson, age 99, of Clermont, Iowa who passed away on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at Traditions Assisted Living Center, West Union, Iowa. Inurnment was in the East Clermont Lutheran Church Cemetery following the service.

Harriet Luella Olson was born on April 30, 1913 to Louie E. and Emily (Erickson) Amundson on her maternal grandparents Henry and Josephine (Nelson) Erickson's farm near Gunder, Iowa. At that time her parents were homesteading near Lemmon, South Dakota. Harriet's mother, Emily, came by train back to Northeast Iowa for Harriet's birth. She was baptized on May 18, 1913 at the Marion Lutheran Church, Gunder, Iowa. She lived in South Dakota one year before her family moved back to Northeast Iowa. They moved to a farm northwest of Clermont. Harriet was confirmed on May 6, 1928 at West Clermont Lutheran Church, Clermont, Iowa. She attended Clermont Public Schools.

On February 16, 1932 Harriet was united in marriage to Aines Burdette Olson at the Clermont Lutheran Parsonage in Clermont, Iowa. They became the parents to five daughters. Their home was the Olson family farm, one mile west of the East Clermont Lutheran Church where they were members. Living so close to the church, they faithfully gave many hours of services to their church. With ten grandchildren in Harriet's Sunday School and Bible School classes calling her Grandma Harriet, it wasn't long until the other students were calling her Grandma Harriet. Aines was Grandpa Aines. Valley students and many others called them Grandma Harriet and Grandpa Aines.

Harriet and Aines lived on their farm until 1980 when they retired to their new home in Clermont. Aines entered the Good Samaritan Center in Postville, Iowa in 1997 and died in 1998. Harriet purchased a small home in Elgin to be near Darlene and Marilyn. In November of 2006 she went to Eagle Ridge where she lived until that closed in January 2008. She then moved to Traditions in West Union.

"Grandma Harriet" is survived by her four children: Darlene (Oliver) Larson of Elgin, Iowa, Marilyn Larson of Elgin, Anita (Donald) Hoth of Chicago, Illinois and Karen (David) Frieden of Swisher, Iowa; 20 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, 35 great-great grandchildren; a brother Louis Amundson of San Diego, California, and a sister Joyce Okery of Murrieto, California.

Harriet Luella Olson was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Aines; her daughter Sandra (Mrs. Calvin Penz) who died of cancer in 2005; her son-in-law Laverne Larson, husband to Marilyn; and a sister, Myrtle Kluss who died in 1985.

Our parents were young during the Great Depression. They worked hard, spent wisely, and willingly did without. Mom said they were never hungry because they had their cattle, hogs, chickens, large gardens, and fruit orchards. Their faith sustained them in difficult times. There were many happy times with their family and all of their busy lives. All of these characteristics contributed to their families' well-being and are the legacy they passed to the next generation. The greatest tribute we can give our parents is not grief but gratitude and Love.

Transcriber's note: The obituary for Harriet's sister, Myrtle Kluss, can be found on IaGenWeb-Clayton County website.