Betty Lou (Olson) YOUNG

OLSON, YOUNG, RANUM, CHRISTENSEN, SMITH, WALTON, YOUNG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/30/2010 at 18:13:51

Betty Lou (Olson) Young, 86, of Clarion passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 23, 2010 at The Meadows in Clarion. Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 29th at First United Methodist Church, Clarion with Reverend Don Morrison officiating. A family burial was held at Glenwood Cemetery, Goldfield.

Betty Lou (Olson) Young was born July 25, 1923, the daughter of Loyd Oscar Olson and Nora Marinda (Ranum) Olson on the family farm outside of Goldfield. She was born and raised in the house that her grandfather built and that her father was born in. Betty attended Norway Township country school through the eighth grade, then attended Eagle Grove High School. There she was active in singing, and in 1939 was elected Eagle Grove High School's first Homecoming Queen. She was also elected Band Queen, which she couldn't quite figure out since she didn't play an instrument, nor was she a member of the band. After graduation in 1940, she worked for one year as a secretary for an Eagle Grove insurance and real estate firm. Betty enrolled in the nursing program at the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines. She received her Registered Nursing degree in 1944. While there, she met a young doctor who was interning at Iowa Methodist Hospital, Richard A. Young. They were married January 19, 1945 at her family home near Goldfield.

Because he loved the area and the people, Richard Young set up his medical practice in Clarion, along with his medical college friend, Dr. Robert Eaton. In 1952, following her husband in a tour of duty at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and Fort Dix, New Jersey, she practiced nursing in San Antonio and on the military base at Fort Dix. Betty then spent the rest of her life in Clarion.

Betty was an avid bridge player, and loved playing bridge several times a week. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Clarion and enjoyed singing several years in the church choir. Betty was active in the Hospital Auxiliary, helping in many ways to raise funds. She practiced nursing at the Clarion Memorial Hospital for five years. Betty also was active as a leader in Campfire Girls and Cub Scouts. Betty was asked back and worked again as a nurse at the hospital from the late 60's until 1971. After retiring from nursing, Betty concentrated on her greatest love and her biggest talent, music. She played bluegrass and old time fiddle and was very talented in playing the piano and organ. She also played auto harp, some banjo and some guitar. She played the Uniphone in many parades. Betty could play pretty much any instrument she tried. She particularly enjoyed playing fiddle in the group she co-founded, the White Fox Assembly.

She, along with her husband, was also an avid birder and mushroom hunter. She taught her children at an early age how to spot asparagus along the roadside and morels in the woods. Betty was proud of her Norwegian heritage and visited her homeland twice, and worked tirelessly to help organize reunions. She and her husband enjoyed spending time in their vacation home in the Mountain View-Allison area of Arkansas.

She is survived by her sister Darcia Christensen of Eagle Grove. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Richard A. Young; parents, Nora and Loyd Olson; [She is also survived by] children-Sally Smith of Utica, Minnesota; Kathy (Robert) Walton of Englewood, Colorado; John (Janice) Young of Mesa, Arizona; five grandchildren; and two great-granddaughters.

Wright County Monitor, Clarion, Iowa
July 1, 2010