Edward William OLSON

OLSON, PAUL, NOVAK, KOOLHOFF, JOHNSON, BRYNE, HODGSON, SKOG

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:07:02

Edward William Olson
18 July 1905 ---- 30 May 1959

Funeral services were held Tuesday for Edward William Olson, 53, in the Samuel Evangelical and Eagle Grove Evangelical Lutheran churches. Burial was in Rose Hill Cemetery. The Rev. B. F. Molstre officiated.

The first service, a consolation service for family and friends, was held in Samuel Church and the public ceremony was held in the Eagle Grove Evangelical Lutheran. Pastor Molstre officiated at both services and at the grave side service also.

Attended by hundreds from nine states (perhaps more) it was one of the largest services ever held in Eagle Grove. Olson's friendships and business contacts covered the entire country as he was developing the multi-million-dollar soybean processing plant.

Olson suffered a heart attack about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, May 30 and died before medical attention could reach him.

He had suffered a slight heart attack while fishing at Crane Lake on Tuesday of the preceding week. After staying in bed for three days at the fishing camp he came home and immediately had a checkup by local physicians with an electrocardiograph. The reading indicated that he had had a slight attack and he was ordered to rest for 10 days by his physicians.

During this rest period and confinement to his home he was meeting friends each day and professed to be feeling better than he had for years. The fatal attack Saturday was sudden and unexpected.

Mr. Olson is survived by his wife, two daughters, Mrs. Edward Novak (Lorene) of Flaxville, Montana, and Marilee at home. Also, one brother, Carl Oscar of Springfield, Missouri.

Mr. Olson was born in Albert City on July 18, 1905. He received his education at the public schools in that town. He married Florence Paul of Albert City on April 20, 1930.

In 1931 they came to Highview south of Eagle Grove as the manager of the Farmers Elevator there. On the board of that cooperative at that time was Albert Koolhoff, one of his close friends who helped him to organize the Boone Valley Cooperative, later Olson took his first manager job at $90 a month.

In 1935 the Woolstock Cooperative hired Olson and he moved there where he remained until he with other associates decided to organize a soybean processing cooperative.

In 1944 it was decided to locate the processing plant in Eagle Grove and Olson and his family moved to this city.

During his fifteen years in Eagle Grove, he was instrumental in developing the city's largest industry which is also probably at present its largest employer.

He was also very active in civic affairs, serving on the Chamber of Commerce Board for many years and also as secretary and president. He was also a member of and very active in Lions and also for a time was a member of Rotary.

Filled with a restless, driving energy he has been one of the community's strongest personalities.

Among the out of town relatives here for the funeral were Forest Johnson of Elmwood, Wis., Lee Johnson and Mrs. Treva Bryne of Falls Church, Va., Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Hodgson of Muskogee, Okla.. Mrs. Helen Johnson and Carolyn of Albert City, Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Paul and children of Tulsa, Okla„ and Carl Oscar Olsen of Springfield, Mo.

Obituary

Edward William Olson, born of parents Olaf and Emma (nee Skog) Olson, July 18, 1905 at Albert City, Iowa and passed away at his home after a brief illness, at Eagle Grove Saturday May 30, 1959 at 6:45 a.m.

Mr. Olson received his education at the public schools of Albert City. He was confirmed in 1920 in the Evangelical Free Church at that city where he was a lifelong member.

He grew into manhood in this community where he worked on farms and later was employed at a grain elevator at Albert City.

April 20, 1930, he was united in marriage to Florence Paul and they established their first home at Albert City. In 1931 he accepted a position as manager of Highview Farmers Coop Elevator of Webster City.

In 1935 he accepted the position of manager of Woolstock Coop Farmers Elevator and served in this capacity until in 1944 when he helped promote and organize the Boone Valley Cooperative Processing Plant at Eagle Grove. He was appointed General Manager of this plant and he served in this capacity at the time of his death. Together with his associates he had the satisfaction to watch the growth and expansion of this industry until it reached the present peak of production.

Mr. Olson also served as a member on the Board of Propane Gas Cooperative and also served as president of that firm.

He was an active member of the Advisory Board of the Swine Testing Program sponsored by Cooperative Consumers Association. In connection with this program he was active in promoting meat type animals for the FFA and 4H clubs in Iowa.

Mr. Olson was past president of Eagle Grove Chamber of Commerce, also served as secretary and other responsibilities on various committees. Recently he served on the Industrial Committee of the Chamber of Commerce.

Although he was not a member of Samuel Evangelical Lutheran Church, he attended morning worship services regularly and was a member of the Senior Adult Bible Class and supported the local and Mission program of the congregation. He will be missed by his friends in the congregation, the many friends and business associates in this community and other communities.

Mr. Olson was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Emanuel. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, Lorene (Mrs. Edward Novak) Flaxville, Montana, and Marilee at home, one brother, Carl Oscar, Springfield, Missouri, four nieces, and many other relatives, and a host of friends.

Funeral services were held from Samuel Evangelical Lutheran church (Consolation Service for the family and close friends) Tuesday June 2, 1959, 1:30 p.m. and for the public at Eagle Grove Evangelical Lutheran church at 2:00 p.m. Pastor B. F. Molstre officiated at both services. Mrs. Harry Hanson was organist at the consolation service and Miss Ruth Mandsager was organist at the public funeral service. John Reil sang two solos at the service. Interment was made at Rose Hill cemetery.

Casket bearers: Walter Sikkema, Newton Flarup, James Farrell, Gordon Hoath, J. C. Nelson, and Grigg Elkin.

Honorary bearers: Albert Koolhof, G. L. Benschoter, Victor Claude Sr., Charles G. Loux, John Cleveland, C. W. Bartley, M. B. Crabbe, Steve Umthun, Ralph Olson, and Don Laurent.

EAGLE GROVE EAGLE --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, June 4, 1959

Source --- Paul Wilde