Rev. O. O. WOLD

WOLD, SIMERSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/5/2009 at 23:16:45

Rev. O. O. Wold passed away at 9 p.m., January 18, 1908, aged 46 years, 11 months, and 7 days. In the death of Rev. O. O. Wold the community loses an honored citizen, the wife a devoted husband and the children a loving father.

Mourning is not confined to relatives alone but the community is in sorrow, for a friend has gone. For several years he has been in failing health. About two weeks ago he was stricken with his last fatal sickness, heart trouble and lingered between life and death until Saturday at 9 p.m. he passed on to his reward.

The deceased was a man of decided opinions. He spoke plainly, was quick of discernment and when his mind was fixed he never wavered in doing his duty. He stood for high ideals in life. He had a deep abiding conviction and a faith that clung with wonderful tenacity on the life's beautiful beyond. He not only lived it himself, but all with whom he came in contact could continually see in him the finger pointing to the higher life, the life lost in self but found in the man of Galilee.

Brother Wold came to Fertile and took charge of the struggling congregation here something like 15 years ago, then without a church edifice, and it was through his tireless efforts that the church in this village and the one where the funeral was held, three miles west of town, was built.

Beside his work here, he for many years preached to his people at Clear Lake, Mason City and other points. The roads were never too bad. However inclement the weather, he never neglected his work for the Master whom he so faithfully served.

The subject of this sketch was born in La Salle Co., Illinois, on February 11, 1861 and died at his home in this village at 9 o'clock p.m., January 18, 1908. He moved to Story Co., Iowa with his parents in the spring of 1865 where he grew to manhood.

He was educated at Augsburg Seminary, Minneapolis. He was ordained as minister of the gospel by the clergy of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in America at Kenyon, Minnesota on June 22, 1891 and has continued in the ministry since. One year was spent in missionary work in the city of Chicago.

He was united in marriage July 7, 1891, with Miss Augusta Simerson of Belmond, Iowa. He is survived by a heartbroken wife and seven children, 3 girls and 4 boys besides his aged father, 3 brothers and 4 sisters, all of whom were present at the funeral.

The funeral services were held Wednesday forenoon at the church west of town and interment made at his old home at Slater, Iowa. Owing to the high esteem in which Brother Wold was held by all the people, Americans as well as Norwegians, a point service was held. Rev. Hampton of Mason City speaking in English and Prof. Nydahl of Augsburg Seminary, a classmate and life long friend of the deceased, spoke in the Norwegian language. The large concourse of people of all nationalities who gathered at the funeral to pay their last sad tribute of respect to the deceased, speaks more eloquently of the respect in which he was held than any words that we can say.

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source unknown, Slater, Iowa
January 1908

Word reached Slater last Friday telling of the serious illness of Rev. O. O. Wold at Fertile, Iowa, and that he could not possibly survive very long. His brother, Attorney Wald, departed immediately for Fertile, reaching the bedside of his sick brother on Saturday and before life had become extinct. He passed away in the evening.

Funeral services were held from the pastor's church at Fertile on Tuesday and the remains brought to Slater last night to be buried in the family lot in the local cemetery, the services to take place at the Norwegian church this Thursday afternoon at two o'clock.

The illness which cut the life of the pastor short while in the prime of life and in the midst of much work dated back two weeks when he contracted a cold which ultimately developed into pneumonia and resulted in his death on Saturday.

Deceased reached an age of forty six years, the greater part of which had been spent in active church work. For fifteen years he had been working at Fertile where he built up a strong congregation and was engaged in work when the last summons came. He was an energetic, enthusiastic worker, a thorough Christian and dearly loved by his congregation which is in deep sorrow over his sudden demise.

Aside from a father, three brothers and four sisters, he is mourned by a faithful wife and a family of seven children.