Opdahl, Olie J. 1882-1965

OPDAHL, PEDERSEN, MICHAELSEN, ROSELAND, LANDE, CLEMENTS, KOWITZ, AKRE

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 4/13/2012 at 15:49:30

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Jully 29, 1965

OLIE J. OPDAHL, FORMER RESIDENT, DIES IN NEW YORK

Olie J. Opdahl, 83, of Jamestown, N.Y., and formerly of Grinnell died Tuesday morning at Jamestown.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday from the Smith Funeral Home here with the Rev. John Pannkuk, pastor of Trinity Lutheran church, officiating. Organ music will be provided by Mrs. Willard Heffner.

Pallbearers will be Orville Pedersen, Lawrence Pedersen, Leonard Pedersen, Norman Osland, Ernest Opdahl and Elsworth Burch. Interment will be in Hazelwood cemetery.

He was the son of Peder and Bertha Pedersen Opdahl and was born Apr. 13th, 1882, in Stavanger, Norway. He came to the United States at the age of six with his parents and the family settled on a farm near Grinnell. He received his education in the local rural schools.

Later, he was united in marriage with Dena Thorson at the farm east of Grinnell. To this union were born two sons and one daughter: Sherman Opdahl of Jamestown, N.Y., Raymond Opdahl of Willoughby Hills, Ohio, and Mrs. Jens (Dorothy) Michaelsen of Oslo, Norway.

He is also survived by eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; one brother, Peter Opdahl of Malcom; three sisters, Mrs. Olga Roseland of Des Moines, Mrs. Emma Lande of Elk Point, S.D., Mrs. Jennie Clements of Marshalltown; and several nieces and nephews.

He moved to Chicago in 1908 where he had been employed as an interior decorator.

His wife, Dena, died in 1934 and in 1935 he was united in marriage with Clara Kowitz.

In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by this second wife, Clara; his parents; and two brothers, the Rev. B.L. Opdahl and Perry Akre.

He had spent the last 10 years in Jamestown, except for two years when he moved back to Grinnell. He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge and the Painters and Decorators Union. He held church membership with Timothy Lutheran Church in Chicago.