Olga Victoria (Peterson) Sterns (1891-1943)

PETERSON, STERNS, NELSON, DIAL, PIPER, DINGMAN, JOHNSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/9/2014 at 12:27:59

From Nevada Evening Journal March 27, 1943

Mrs. Olga Sterns Burial Friday With Full Military Honors

Mrs. Olga Sterns, 31, overseas Red Cross nurse in World War No. 1, was given full military honors, at the funeral services held at Memorial Lutheran church here Friday afternoon and at the grave in the Nevada cemetery.

Mrs. Sterns was a member of both Nevada Post No. 48, American Legion and the Womans Auxiliary, and both groups attended in a body.

A color guard accompanied the body to the cemetery and a firing squad officiated after taps had been played.

The casket, covered by the Stars and Stripes, stood in a flower banked bier before the altar at the church, during the service which was in charge of her longtime pastor, Dr. J. O. Simon, with Harry Christiansen at the organ.

Casket bearers were Harold Tipton, L. R. Bassett, Dr. Ed Ostrem, Fred W. Nelson, Norman Dobson and C. L. Gifford.

The following sketch of the life of the deceased was read by the minister during the service.

"Olga Victoria Peterson, daughter of John K. and Martha Nelson Peterson, was born on a farm near Nevada, December 3, 1891, and departed this earthly life at Iowa City, March 24, 1943, at the age of 51 years, 3 months and 20 days.

"Her father had immigrated from Denmark when a young man and it was here that he was married to Martha Nelson, daughter of a pioneer family of Grant township.

"She was the second child of a family of five daughters and four sons, all of whom were baptized and confirmed in Memorial Lutheran church. She had her primary education in the old Red Eagle school, two miles west of Nevada.

"At 19 she entered nurses training at Mercy hospital in Des Moines. During the three years she spent there she made many life-long friends.

"After her graduation in 1914 she returned to Nevada to do nursing in the community.

"When the United States entered the war in 1917, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps. She spent several months in Camp Dodge after which she was sent overseas.

"Upon her return she did nursing around Nevada again until her marriage to William Frederick Sterns of Moline, Illinois, whom she had met in France. They were married at Memorial Lutheran church, September 10, 1920.

"Of this union there were two children, Martha and William George. In May of 1924 her husband passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after several years of vainly seeking a better climate for his health.

"She then returned to Nevada to make her home with her parents. She served as public school nurse from 1926 to 1930 when she and her children moved to Moline, Illinois to make a home for her father-in-law there. During her three years in that city, she made many lasting friendships. After the death of Mr. Sterns, Sr., in 1933, she returned to Nevada where she made her home until last fall when she moved to Iowa City to be with her children at the University.

"She became suddenly ill Saturday morning, lapsing into a coma almost immediately. She never regained consciousness before her death Tuesday afternoon.

While in Nevada she was a member of the Nevada Woman's club, the Band Mother's association and several social clubs. She had been a life-long member of the Memorial Lutheran church.

A wide circle of friends are deeply sorrowful at the passing of this good woman, and all join in extending their heartfelt sympathy to the loved ones of the family in this hour of their sorrow and bereavement.

Mrs. Sterns was a kindly sympathetic woman. She was a true Christian by profession and practice. She believed it was her privilege to live a helpful life. This she did in a very large way. By profession she was a trained nurse. That was a ----ful service. She was happiest when doing things for others.

She is survived by her two children, Martha, now a senior at the University of Iowa and William George "Billy" Sterns, now a junior in the same institution and about to enter the armed services; her mother, Mrs. Martha Peterson of Nevada; brothers, Arthur of Milwaukee, Wisc., Saren of Winnebago, Minn.; and Paul of Nevada. The sisters are Carrie, Mrs. Bradford Dial of Nevada; Tena, Mrs. Edward Piper of Fairfield, Lillian, Mrs. Ralph Dingman, of Johnstown, Pa.; and Martha, Mrs. Rex Johnson of Cedar Falls, all of whom ere in attendance at the services. One brother John, died as the result of an accident in October 1932.

These, besides a large circle of friends, deeply mourn her passing.