Geraldine Anne Olson Obituary's Obituary
Geraldine Olson Geraldine Olson passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 17th, at the Wayne Community Hospital. She was 86. She was born on October 20th, 1924, in Putman County, in a two-room house, on land that has remained in the family. She attended country schools through the 8th grade, graduated from Unionville High School in 1942, and that fall, at the age of 18, began teaching in the one-room Dorsett School, just south of the Missouri line. She rode horseback to school, occasionally being forced to spend the night with an aunt and uncle when the weather became severe or the snow too deep. Duties included getting the school's wood stove started each morning and its water jug filled at the well. Over the next 5 years, she taught all 8 grades, in each of three country schools and spent her summers attending NE Missouri State Teachers' College, earning her Bachelor's Degree after 5 summers. She subsequently taught in Des Moines, Roland, Sewal, and Seymour, for a total of 41 years. Her students provided her with endless pleasure and greatly enriched her life. Geraldine was united in marriage to Ernest Wicks Olson on August 17th, 1949 in the Drake University Chapel in Des Moines and they subsequently spent 55 years together. They moved to their home south of Seymour in 1961, where Ernie raised cattle, sheep, hogs, and row crops on farms in Iowa and Missouri. Geraldine was actively involved in farm activities into her 80's, and spent many summers on a tractor helping bale hay. After retirement, Ernie and Geraldine traveled throughout the United States in their motor home, made two trips to Europe (in part to visit Ernie's Norwegian relatives), and enjoyed one Hawaiian vacation with their children's families. Geraldine is survived by a son Gary and wife Susan of Tacoma, Washington; and by a daughter Candace and husband Robert Whittet of Columbia, Missouri. She was especially proud of her four grandchildren, Eric, Scott, and Sara Olson and Kelsey Whittet. Also surviving is a sister Sally Loomis and husband Bob Loomis of Wichita, Kansas, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends - all of whom contributed much joy to her life. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie, parents, Charles and Viona Van Dyne, an infant brother, and brother-in-law Lloyd Montgomery. Memorials can be made to the Wayne Community Hospital and the Hospice of Central Iowa. Book Travel to Services To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Geraldine Anne Olson Obituary please visit our Sympathy Store.
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