Joan Margaret (Mehus) OLSON

MEHUS, OLSON, ROKKE, PHELPS, GALLAND, SCHENIAN, LONNEVIK, JUST, KIMBALL, MOUDY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:47

Joan Margaret Mehus Olson
October 5, 1931 --- March 14, 2022

Joan Margaret (Mehus) Olson of Lake Mills, 90, loving wife and mother, died at the Good Samaritan Center in Forest City. Services were held March 18 at Salem Lutheran Church in Lake Mills. Inurnment was March 19 at St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery, rural Belmond.

Joan was born Oct. 5, 1931 on a farm near Belmond to Torkel and Oline (Rokke) Mehus. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran and graduated from Belmond High School in 1949. From 1949 to 1950 Joan attended Waldorf College in Forest City. She started teaching in a country school near Belmond, a career that spanned over 31 years.

On June 9, 1951 Joan married her sweetheart, Arlie Eugene Olson, of Iola, WI. They opened Olson TV, a television sales and service business in Lake Mills. After a ten-year pause to raise their son and daughter, Joan restarted her career as an elementary instructor, teaching at the Thompson, Joice and Lake Mills elementary schools. A personal highlight year for Joan was in 1981 when she received her BA degree in education from Mankato State College. Joan retired from teaching in 1993, and she and Arlie enjoyed many years of traveling, camping and spending winters in Arizona, Texas and Alabama.

Joan had a passion for children, which was evident in the classroom and beyond. This love for kids made her a favorite teacher among students. She was also gifted in hospitality, planning gatherings of neighbors, friends and relatives, and welcoming those who were new to the community of Lake Mills. Food was the common thread running through all of those events! Joan was an active member of Salem Lutheran Church, serving as a Sunday school teacher and superintendent, singing alto in the choir, and participating in circle and Bible studies. Joan was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. Her hobbies included puzzle building and sewing, but Joan’s favorite times were spent camping with family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a lady full of faith, known for her smile and endearing personality.

Joan is survived by her son Steve (Nancy) Olson of Forest City; daughter Christine (Steven) Phelps of Maplewood, MN; grandchildren Jesse (Melanie) Olson of Joice, Jon (Virginia) Olson of Davenport, Michael Olson of Forest City, Lee (Pamela) Galland of Grant, MN, Allison (Ryan) Schenian of Woodbury, MN, and Taylor (Somarrey) Phelps of Aiea, HI; and her sister Mildred Lonnevik of Glenwood.

She was preceded in death by her husband Arlie; infant twin sons Daniel and David; her parents; sisters Nellie Just, Nettie Kimball and Pearl Moudy; and brothers Donald Mehus and Jon Mehus.

https://www.schottfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Joan-Margaret-Olson?obId=24292571#/obituaryInfo