Clara O Olson

Clara O. Olson, 98 of Barnesville, Minnesota died Wednesday, August 13, 2008 in the Good Samaritan Society, Barnesville. Funeral service will be Saturday, at 11 in Little Bethany Lutheran Church, Norwegian Grove Township, Otter Tail County, Minnesota with Pastor Tom Junkert officiating. Debra Nelson will serve as soloist accompanied by organist Rosie Carr. Pallbearers will be Michael Nelson, Mark Nelson, Robert Nelson, Robert Westland, Karl Larson and Eric Nelson. Visitation will be Friday from 4 " 8 with a prayer service at 7 in Dobmeier Funeral Home, Barnesville with Pastor Paul Huso officiating. The visitation will continue on Saturday two hours before the service at the church. Interment will be in Little Bethany Lutheran Cemetery. Clara, daughter of Ole and Caroline (Blegen) Larson, was born June 5, 1910 on her family farm in Humbolt Township of Clay County, near Barnesville, Minnesota. She attended District 47 Country School and grew to womanhood near Barnesville. After her schooling she worked for area farm families in their homes. Clara married Robert L. Olson on May 12, 1937 in the Lutheran Parsonage in Hawley, Minnesota. The couple made their home on the farm in Prairie View Township where they farmed and raised their family. They retired from family in the 1970s and continued to live on the farm. Mr. Olson died in 1994. Clara continued to live on the farm until March of 2007 when she became a resident of the Barnesville Good Samaritan Society. She lived there until the time of her death. Clara was a member of Gran Lutheran Church, near Barnesville where she was baptized and confirmed. After her marriage she became a member of Little Bethany Lutheran Church and the Little Bethany ladies Aid. She also taught Sunday school and served as Sunday school superintendent for many years. She was a member of the Prairie View Homemakers and was the sewing leader for the Prairie View 4 " H Club. Clara enjoyed reading (she read two newspapers most days) Jigsaw puzzles, enjoyed sewing, embroidering and was an avid fan of the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Vikings. She is survived by three daughters, June (Harold) Duebbert of Fergus Falls, Joyce Olson of rural Barnesville and Doris (David) Hanson of rural Rollag, Minnesota; four grandchildren, Jodie (Robert) Westland of Rochester, Minnesota, Michael (Cheryl) Nelson of Rothsay, Mark (Debra) Nelson of Eagle Lake, Minnesota and Robert (Sioban) Nelson of Mendota Heights, Minnesota; eight great-grandchildren, Krystle (fianc, Michael Herz) Nelson, Cole Nelson, Jessica Westland, Kevin Westland, Samuel Nelson, Andrea Nelson, William Nelson and Sean Nelson. She is also survived by one brother, Julian (Florence) Larson of Moorhead and one sister-in-law, DeLores Larson also of Moorhead. Clara is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert, five brothers and three sisters, Art, Peter, Anna Thorvaldson, Syver, Otto and three who died in infancy, Ida, Thelma and Lars.