Wilma T. Olsen

Wednesday, June 10, 2015 5:11 pm

Wilma T. Olsen, 82, of Decorah, and her husband Donald, died Saturday, June 6, 2015, in a traffic accident at the intersection of Highways 9 and 139 two miles east of Cresco. Funeral services are at 11 a.m. Friday, June 12, at Decorah Lutheran Church, with Rev. David Sorensen and Rev. Bryan Robertson officiating. Burial is in Phelps Cemetery in Decorah. Visitation is 4-7 p.m. Thursday, June 11, at Decorah Lutheran Church, 309 Winnebago Street, and Friday beginning at 10 a.m., one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church. Organist is Kathy Murray. Soloist is Jane Kolarich (“An Evening Prayer” and “A Perfect Day”). Congregational hymns are “How Great Thou Art,” “The Old Rugged Cross” and “On Eagle’s Wings.” Casket bearers are Matt Amundson, Zach Busch, Bob Byerly, Craig Chyle, Steve Courtney, Mike Kelly, Steve Klemme and Matt Olsen. Interment is at Phelps Cemetery in Decorah.
Wilma Tie Olsen was born April 2, 1933, in Piermont, Ind. She was the daughter of Walter and Thelma (Erb) Hart. The family moved to Battle Ground, Ind., where she, her parents and six brothers and sisters ran a vegetable truck farm. She had fond memories of going to the market with wagonloads of vegetables to Lafayette on open market days. She developed a strong interest in gardening while working on the farm during her youth. Gardening became a life-long hobby. Wilma attended both public grade school and high school in Battle Ground, Ind. After graduation, she began work at the National Homes Corporation in Lafayette and continued until moving to Iowa. Wilma was a long-time employee at Decorah Bank & Trust, working over 37 years before retiring in 2008 at age 75, allowing her to spend more time with her family and her passion of gardening. She was always complimented on her beautiful flower gardens. Wilma shared in her husband’s interest in ballroom dancing and they were often seen dancing at the various ballrooms throughout the area. She was a member of Decorah Lutheran Church, the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a lifetime member of the Sons of Norway.

Wilma and Don: Two halves of the same soul, joining in life’s next journey.

Donald and Wilma are survived by their four children: Scott (Debra) Olsen of Kirksville, Mo., Rick (Janet) Olsen of Minneapolis, Minn., Sheila (John) Sogge of Sioux City and Sonja (Kevin) Beallis of Naperville, Ill.; six grandchildren: Erik Olsen, St. Louis, Mo., Mindy (Robert) Thomas, Herman, Neb.; Vaughn, Britten, Morgan and Karson Beallis, Naperville, Ill.; great-grandson Maxus Thomas and great-granddaughter Sarah Thomas of Herman, Neb. Don also is survived by one brother, Norman (Roberta) Olsen, Latimer; and two sisters, Dorothea (Burton) Odekirk of Fayette and Marie Eisenman, Grinnell. Wilma also is survived by two sisters, Josephine Trapp and Harriett Lambert; and a sister-in-law, Eleanor Hart of West Lafayette, Ind.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Walter and Thelma Hart; sister Georgia Ann Robbins; brothers Joseph Hart, Alexander Hart and Walter Hart Jr., all of Lafayette, Ind.
Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Online condolences may be made at fjelstul.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to one of the following organizations in Don and Wilma’s names:

Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=72;

The Salvation Army National Headquarters, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22314 donate.salvationarmyusa.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=206&amount;

Lutheran Disaster Response

c/o Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009 , elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/Lutheran-Disaster-Response/Ways-to-Give#sthash.LRpTsfug.dpuf;

Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/donate-online/