Germaine Wieser-Olsen

On July 7, 2011 Germaine Wieser-Olsen died at the Shady Oak Group Home from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 15, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at Maine Presbyterian Church, 30761 County HWY 45, Underwood, Minnesota. Germaine donated her body to science so there will be no visitation or burial service. Germaine was born in Tazwell County, Illinois on October 7th, 1929. Germaine’s first eight years were in Chicago with her parents Elsie and Albert Sorenson. Wanting her to have a more safe childhood, her parents sent her to live with her great aunts and uncles in Nebraska. She lived with Margaret and Lars Larsen until she graduated from Marquette High School in Marquette, NE. She loved being around so many relatives. She played volleyball, wrote for the school paper, and did well in school. She then moved to Grand Island, Nebraska where she worked at the Rural Electric Cooperative and met her first husband Melvin Wieser while at a dance social. The couple moved to Casper, Wyoming and then to the V-Bar Ranch near Laramie, Wyoming in 1957. Germaine taught school and attended the University of Wyoming at Laramie, where she received her BA in Education. In 1964 the couple moved back to Grand Island, Nebraska and a year later Germaine moved to Cairo, Nebraska where she taught grade school and special education. She continued her education at Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska as she continued to teach her young students in Cairo. In 1980, her husband Melvin died at the age of 49. In 1983, Germaine, her daughter Lori and son David moved to Minnesota and built her home on Pickerel Lake, Maine Township. 1990, Germaine married Simon Olsen of New York Mills, Minnesota. In 2008, her family moved her to the Shady Oaks Group Home near Phelps Mill, Minnesota where she received wonderful care. Germaine spent a great deal of her time dedicated to Maine Presbyterian Church. She taught Sunday School, served as an Elder, sang in the choir, and participated in Presbyterian Women events. One of her church highlights was attending the Presbyterian Women’s World Conference in Louisville, Kentucky with her daughter Sandra and grandson Kiowa. Germaine loved playing the piano and loved music. She loved singing to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She volunteered at Someplace Safe in Fergus Falls, helped students at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in Perham, and was an advocate for the InterFaith Children’s Network for Minnesota. She loved talking to everyone. She loved the freedom of driving her car and exploring to find all the best pie and ice cream shops. Her cousins, parents, husbands, friends, and close friend and cousin Evelyn Joseph precede Germaine in death. Great memories will remain in the hearts of her great grandchildren Eithen, Sumorr, Angelica, and Mariana, her grandchildren Wende, Tyler, Kiowa, and Allyssah, her children Sandra Wieser-Matthews, David Wieser, and Lori Hanson along with her children’s spouses Randy, Terry, and Keith. Remaining close family members are Dean and Verdealla Smith, Elizabeth, Patty, Suzanne, and Herman Larsen, Jerl and Debbie Joseph, Ann and Jan Joseph, Nancy, Kelly, and Bruce Eriksen. Germaine’s memories will be in the hearts and minds of all that knew her. Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of arrangements.