Geneva Olson, 1918-2015

Published 9:00 am Sunday, January 11, 2015

Funeral services for Geneva Marie Olson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Lutheran Church in Glenville. The Rev. Jim Rushton will officiate. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery.

Geneva Olson

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday at Bayview/Freeborn Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences may be left for Geneva’s family at www.bayviefuneral.com.

Geneva passed away Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at Seasons Hospice House in Rochester.

Geneva Marie Olson was born Feb. 10, 1918, in Woden, Iowa, to Adam and Olive (Eisenmann) Attig. Geneva graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1937 and worked at the Naeve Hospital in Albert Lea.

On May 1, 1941, Geneva married Orville C. Olson. They lived and farmed in rural Glenville. Geneva raised chickens and sold eggs for many years. Geneva continued to live on the farm after Orville’s death in 1994 until 2008.

Geneva was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Glenville. For many years she enjoyed making quilts at the church with the ladies group. Geneva’s lifelong passion was spending time gardening. She enjoyed both flower and vegetable gardening. She canned for many years. Geneva also enjoyed houseplants and filled window sills and her porch with violets and other houseplants. Geneva enjoyed reading books, learning and reading about history, jigsaw puzzles, bird watching and making quilts for family.

Geneva enjoyed her family and visiting with friends. Living on the farm meant the very most to her. It provided a life close to nature. She stayed and lived on the farm for 14 1/2 years after her husband passed away. In the summer of 2008, Geneva left the farm for health reasons.

Left to cherish her memory are Geneva’s daughters Kathryn Lemna of Fargo, North Dakota, and Karen (Jerrol Chellgren) Olson of Mantorville; granddaughters Heidi (Kent) Hodges, Debbie (Brady) Opheim and Amy (Scott) Johnson; great-grandchildren Hayden, Hudson and Kaleb Hodges, Mason and Olivia Opheim and Jackson Johnson; brother, Harry (Louise) Attig of Glenville; sister, Wanda (Alfred) Hermann of Austin; sister-in-law, Della Attig of Austin; several nieces, nephews and cousins; extended family of her son-in-law Jerrol Chellgren; Mary and Steve Thompson and sons and Brian and Emily Chellgren and family.

Geneva was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orville; brother, Dale Attig; son-in-law, Robert Lemna; and sister-in-law and brothers-in-law.

Geneva’s life was a long life well lived. Let us celebrate her promised ascension into heaven. To God be the Glory. Blessed be her memory.

In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to First Lutheran Church in Glenville or Greenwood Cemetery.