Olga Christina Hollen (1979)
HOLLEN, SAWYER, RAFDAL, HUDSON
Posted By: Mary Welty Hart (email)
Date: 6/13/2010 at 15:11:49
Winterset Madisonian, Winterset, Iowa
June 1979OLGA CHRISTINA HOLLEN
Olga Christina Hollen, a retired Winterset High School teacher of 36 years, died Wednesday, June 13, 1979, at her home in Winterset. She was 74 years of age. Olga was born May 13, 1905, in Lineville, Iowa, the daughter of Ole H. And Mabel Sawyer Hollen. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church and was very active in the Susanna Circle.
Olga's early life was spent in southern Iowa in Lineville, Van Wert and Lamoni where her father served as superintendent of schools. Olga started school in Lamoni. The family moved to a farm near Winterset where she attended country school. In 1924, she graduated as valedictorian of her class at Winterset High. She received her Normal Training Certificate and taught in country schools of Harvard, Drake and Jackson No. 9. She attended the University of Iowa and received her Bachelor of Art's Degree in 1927. She then taught Science at Stephen Minnesota High School. In 1936, Olga received a Diploma from the Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines. That fall she started teaching commercial courses at Winterset HS where she taught for 36 years until her retirement in 1970.
In 1943, she earned a Master's Degree from the Univ of Iowa and was elected to membership in the Phi Gamma Nu International Commerce Scholarship Honorary Society. She was also a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma International Society of Teachers.
Olga was an active member of the Iowa State Educ Assoc and devoted much time and effort obtaining "life certification" for teachers of Iowa who have a Master's degree and 10 years of successful teaching. Her shorthand and typing courses prepared many students for stenographic and secretarial positions without need for further training.
Survivors are two sisters, Norma R. Hollen and Evelyn Hollen and a brother James M. Hollen, all of Winterset; two nephews, Michael Hollen of Waterloo, Eric Hollen of Winterset; two nieces, Jeanne Rafdal of Des Moines and Maxine Hudson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Note: Copy courtesy of Jeanne Rafdal, niece
Gravestone Photo
Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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