Ethel Olson, 94 of Evansville died Saturday, October 12, 2013 at the Evansville Care Center.
Ethel was the second born to Julius and Alma (Braun) Rohloff. She was baptized in the German Lutheran Church in Garfield and confirmed in the Immanuel Church in Evansville. She attended Country School District #52 west of Evansville until completing the eighth grade.
Ethel and Orlan Olson first as a neighbor, then friend and schoolmate, developing into sweethearts and then entering into marriage. Ethel married Orlan on October 30, 1938 in the home of their minister. Ethel and Orlan were blessed with Richard in 1939, Ronald in 1943, Allen in 1944 and Elaine in 1951. From there they received eleven grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Ethel and Orlan had several homes in the Erdahl and Evansville area always farming and raising animals and milking. Ethel has always been very involved in the Erdahl Lutheran Church, educating her children there as well as serving as Superintendent of the Sunday School and working with the Ladies Aid. In 1953, they purchased a farm on the Douglas/Grant County line where she remained until 1982.
After Orlans death in 1979, Ethel started working in the Evansville Nursing Home in the capacity of housekeeping and mending. She continued until the age of 77 but remained in the mending capacity further years when ever needed. She was known by her friends and neighbors as a very active person, always in the yard gardening and mowing or shoveling snow from her driveway in the winters. In her later years her family offered to pay for snow removal from her driveway and she refused saying she didn't want to miss out on the exercise and fun of shoveling. Ethel has always been known for her talented abilities in sewing. She has spent a lifetime sewing wardrobes of clothing for her sisters children, as well as mending a wealth of damaged items and blooming into the world of making quilts as her mother before her did. Ethel hand stitched her later quilts taking up to a year to complete just one. Each of her children and all eleven grandchildren have been gifted with one of Ethel's hand stitched quilts to treasure.
Ethel leaves behind son, Richard "Dick" (Mona) of Evansville, son, Ron (Susan) of rural Evansville, son, Al (Beverly) of rural Ashby and daughter, Elaine (Lydon) Olson of Ashby. There are eleven grandchildren, sixteen great- grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Ethel also leaves behind three sisters, Marian Johnson of Fergus Falls, Rosann Bergman of Los Angeles, CA, and Gladys (Rod) Vogt of Alexandria and two sister-in-laws, Minnetta Rohloff of Fergus Falls and Gladys Gerhardt of Alexandria.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Orlan, her parents, Julius and Alma Rohloff, three brothers, Edwin, Carlie and Teddy Rohloff.
Funeral Service: 2 pm Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at the Faith Lutheran Church in Evansville
Visitation: one hour prior to the service at the church
Clergy: Rev. Carol Olson
Interment: Mound Grove Cemetery in Evansville
Funeral Home: Glende-Nilson of Evansville
Condolences:www.glendenilson.com