Olson, Emilia Ruth Twedt (1930-2020)

OLSON, TWEDT, SWENSON, THOMPSON, KRUMM, LUND, TONDERUM, MCVICKER, EVANS

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:02

Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, Iowa, January 14, 2020/Boeke Funeral Home website

Ruth Olson, age 89, formerly of Ellsworth, IA, passed away on Saturday, January 11,
2020 at Bethany Life Communities in Story City, IA.
Ruth passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at Bethany Life. Emelia Ruth Twedt was born on June 5, 1930, on the family farm north of Ellsworth, Iowa, to Ingvald and Nora (Swenson) Twedt. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellsworth. Ruth was an active member of Trinity, involved with ladies’ circle, choir, and service project group. Ruth was the youngest of 6 children, preferring to follow her brothers around outside rather than stay indoors. Ruth attended country school and then attended school in Ellsworth, graduating with the class of 1948. Following graduation Ruth helped care for her ailing mother. Ruth met Lawrence Olson during a break from his Marine Corps duties. They married on November 4, 1950. They were stationed in California for their first year of marriage before returning to the Ellsworth area where they raised their four children.
Ruth worked for Land O Lakes turkey plant for several years and owned Olson Sundries during the middle 1960’s. They closed Olson Sundries when Lawrence started working for the National Animal Disease Center. It was at this time Ruth started making kringla for the local grocery store as well as for many who requested them. Staying active, Ruth, along with several other Ellsworth ladies, would meet up to walk around town for 30 minutes early each morning. Of course, following this walk they would stop at one of their homes for coffee and something sweet. Ruth also would join the “quilting ladies” at the church during the afternoon for coffee and something sweet. Although she didn’t have the fine stitch for the beautiful quilts, she embroidered several tea towels that were sold for the church.
Lawrence and Ruth enjoyed spending 20 winters in Arizona where they continued to stay active hiking the mountains in the Mesa area. They were most proud of their two trips hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Of course, they also enjoyed fellowship with their many snowbird friends which included coffee and something sweet. Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren were of great importance to Ruth. They also enjoyed her great kringla, even eating them straight from the freezer, not wanting to wait to warm in the microwave!
Following Lawrence’s death in June of 2012 and then diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in 2014, Ruth moved to Bethany Life in Story City. You could often see her walking the halls and later riding the recumbent bike in the gym. And of course, coffee and something sweet in the afternoon. Even during the past few months when she didn’t want much to eat, staff always knew she would eat something sweet!
Ruth is survived by her children Jan (Bruce) Thompson, Roger (Tammy) Olson, Pam Krumm and Julee (Tim) Lund; her sister LoaDell Tonderum and sisters-in-law Doris Twedt and Joyce McVicker; her seven grandchildren Jason, Toby, Tracy, Brent, Jon, Justin and Veronica; one step grandchild; thirteen great-grandchildren; three step great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild and another one on the way, and 2 step great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents Ingvald and Nora Twedt, parents-in-law Arnold and Jeanette Olson, one sister Marjorie Evans and her husband Kenneth, three brothers Ronald Twedt and his wife Edna, Truman Twedt and his wife Ila, and Virgil Twedt, son-in-law Dennis Krumm, grandson Jeremy Thompson, brothers-in-law and sister-in-law William and Eva Olson and Bill McVicker.
We want to thank the many staff who cared for Ruth during her years at Bethany and the staff at Suncrest Hospice who provided comfort care during her last days. Thank you to Pastor Jon and Pastor Dave for their spiritual support and prayers.