Olive L. Blikstad

Olive L. Blikstad, 91, a resident of Fergus Falls, died Sunday, February 16, 2014 at Pioneer Care.
She was born May 12, 1922 to Ludvig and Judith (Lunde) Egstad in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Olive went to Roosevelt Elementary School and graduated from Lutheran Bible School twice—from the high school department in 1940, and from the Bible department in 1948.
On October 16, 1948, she married Paul P. Blikstad at Bethel Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Before her marriage, Olive was a bookkeeper for Egstad Hardware and Sheet Metal in Grand Forks. From 1951 to 1956 she was a missionary in Japan. She served in the pastorate with husband at churches in Lynnwood, California; Northwood, North Dakota; Portland and Eugene, Oregon; Vancouver, Washington; and Salem and Buena Vista, Oregon. She also worked as a sales associate for Meier and Frank in Eugene, Vancouver and Salem. She was very involved with the Salem Lutheran Brethren Church in many capacities.
She enjoyed gardening and playing the piano and organ. Olive especially loved being hospitable to anyone she could.
Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, Reverend Paul Blikstad; brothers, Judson Egstad, David Egstad; grandsons, Eric Parker, Joseph Undseth.
Olive is survived by seven children: Priscilla (Graham) Parker of Richland, WA, Phoebe Pierce of Sisters, OR, Phyllis (James) Thun of Phoenix, AZ, Paul (Jennifer) Blikstad of Bend, OR, Stephen (Pamela) Blikstad of Beaverton, OR, Jonathan (Beth) Blikstad of Cape Coral, FL, and Lois (Steve) Undseth, Fergus Falls, MN; 35 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; brothers, Bernard Egstad, Ludvig Egstad Jr., Bertrand Egstad. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the church.
Service: 11 a.m. Saturday, February 22, 2014 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Reverend Ed Monson
Interment: Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls