Ardis Viola Olson

Marshall: Ardis V. Olson, age 88, of Marshall formerly of the Dawson and Canby areas, passed away at Morningside Heights Care center in Marshall on Sunday, March 23, 2014. Funeral services will be 1:00 P.M. Friday, March 28th at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall. Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Borgund Lutheran Cemetery, rural Madison. Ardis Viola was born October 13, 1925, in Lac Qui Parle County, MN, to Axel and Jennie (Gulgren) Anderson.   She was welcomed to God’s family through baptism and confirmation at the Mission Covenant Church.  In her early years, Ardis lived on a farm site near Dawson, MN, with siblings, Melvern, Opal, Lois, Wallace, Wesley, Milo and Ordell.   Ardis attended country school and later the Dawson High School where she proudly graduated 13th in a class of 75.  One of Ardis’ first jobs after high school was in a Café in Dawson.  That is where she met her lifelong friend and partner, Grant Olson.  Ardis fondly recalled that after their first date, Grant went home and told his mother that he had met the girl he was going to marry.  And he was right. They wed on August 31, 1947.  Ardis and Grant enjoyed 47 years of marriage most of which Ardis worked side by side with Grant in their salvage and towing business just outside of Canby.  They raised eight children together; Jeannine, Dennis, Jeanette, Janice, Jennifer, Judy, Joyce and Jackie.  They were also the very proud grandparents of 22 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren.  After Grant passed in 1994, Ardis bravely began a new leg of her life journey by moving to Marshall where she kept busy with her family, made new friends and became an active member and volunteer at St. Stephens Lutheran Church.  Ardis passed away in the early morning hours of March 23, 2014, at the Morningside Heights Care Center in Marshall with her daughter and granddaughter by her side.  Ardis lived a full life and was grateful for so many things.  In her own words, she simply states, “Our life was wonderful.   Worked hard, never really hoped to get rich, but we were truly blessed with all our children and grandchildren.” Ardis is survived by her seven children Jeannine (Russ) Borgendale of Hutchinson, Dennis (Marcia) Olson of Milbank, SD, Jeanette (Jerry) Lindberg of Hutchinson, Jennifer (Dean) Karschnik of Hill City, SD, Judy (Scott) Messenbrink of Pine, CO, Joyce (Glenn) Christianson of Marshall and Jackie (Randy) Johnson of Marshall; 22 grandchildren; 24 great grandchildren; two sisters, Opal Hauge and Lois Ludvigson, both of Dawson, MN; also many other beloved relatives and friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Grant; daughter, Janice Olson-Larson;  five siblings,  Melvern Miller, Wallace Anderson, Wesley Anderson, Milo Anderson and Ordell Anderson, and son-in-law, Bradley Ennenga.  She will be missed beyond words.  Blessed be her memory.