Alice Olson

Alice Mae Olson, 84, of Fergus Falls, died Friday, July 1, 2011, at the Pioneer Care Center in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She was born November 27, 1926, in Lake Lillian, MN, the daughter of Sam and Mabel (Moen) Gilberts. She grew up on the farm, attending country school through the 8th grade. On November 10, 1945 she married Harold Olson in Bird Island. The couple made their home in Lake Lillian where they raised their family. She also worked for many years as a waitress. They moved to Hutchinson in 2004, and to Fergus Falls in 2005. Harold died on January 13, 2006. Alice Mae was an active member in her church, First Lutheran Church in Lake Lillian, and Peace Lutheran in Hutchinson. She also served as a Girl Scout leader, and was on a bowling team. Many things brought her joy, including cooking and baking for others – especially desserts and homemade breads, sharing coffee and spending time with her friends, gardening and canning everything from her garden, embroidering dishcloths and crocheting, shopping trips, and traveling anywhere by airplane. She also made a trip to Australia to visit one of her pen pal friends that she corresponded with for many years. Alice Mae was fascinated by the entire concept of flight, and loved to go to the Minneapolis airport just to watch the airplanes take off and land. Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Harold; and her siblings, Irene, Leonard, Alvin, Archie, and Elise. Survivors include two daughters, Barbara (Jerry) Quast of Silver Lake, MN, and Mavis (Oscar) Garza of Carrolton, TX; two sons, Harry (Mary Lou) Olson of Fergus Falls, and Dean (Kristin) Olson of Rochester; seven grandchildren: Mike Payne, Michelle Halverson, Elizabeth Olson, Sarah Olson, and Victoria, Joshua, and Jonathan Garza; two great-grandchildren, Noah Payne and Katie Halverson; and a sister, Violet Madsen of Lake Lillian. Visitation 1:30-3:30 pm Tuesday at the Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls. Then continues on Wednesday from 5-7 pm with a prayer service at 7 pm at the K-M Funeral Home of Lake Lillian, and resumes one hour prior to the services at the church. Service 1 pm Thursday, July 7, 2011 at the United Lutheran Church, Lake Lillian Clergy Rev. Art Wiese Interment Community Cemetery, Lake Lillian Funeral Home Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls and K-M Funeral Home, Lake Lillian