C. Maxine Olson

C. Maxine Olson, age 97, of Decorah, IA, passed away Wednesday evening, May 15, 2013, at the age of 97 following a brief illness. She had been a resident at the Aase Haugen Nursing Home for the past six years in the Memory Care Assisted Living wing, and then recently moved to Hospice care at the same facility. Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, June 3, 2013 at Glenwood Lutheran Church in rural Decorah, with Rev. Stacey Nalean – Carlson officiating. Burial will be in Glenwood East Cemetery. Visitation begins on Monday, June 3 at 9:00 A.M., two hours before the services, at the Glenwood Lutheran Church. Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah is serving the family. Clara Maxine was born April 28, 1916 in Pleasanton, IA, the daughter of Harley Leo and Lula Janette (Snethen) Pyle. Her father was a railway mail clerk and the family moved several times before she graduated from Carroll High School (Carroll, IA) in 1934. She eventually attended a cosmetology school and passed her board certification for the State of Iowa in 1938. With her certificate in hand, she answered an ad in the newspaper and accepted a position as a beautician with Toby's Hair Salon in Decorah. She then traveled by train from Carroll to Decorah. It was here that she met the love of her life, Millard Julius Olson. They were married at the Springfield Lutheran Church Parsonage October 30, 1940. They made their home in Decorah while he was working for Sersland-Winslow Well Drilling. Later, with a change in occupation, she became a farmer's wife. They eventually bought a farm in Glenwood Township located 2 miles north of the Glenwood Lutheran Church on what was known as the Peter Rocksvold farm. Here they worked together to raise six children and establish a Grade A dairy operation. After moving to the Glenwood area, they became members of Glenwood Lutheran Church. Maxine was active with the church women serving in many types of leadership roles and stayed busy making items for the annual bazaar. She also assisted as a 4-H leader. After her husband passed away in 1976, Maxine moved to California to help care for her mother, Lula. Along with her sister, Janet, they provided care for her as well as several other elderly people in a home setting. She was a very unselfish person always willing to put the needs of others before herself. A character trait she probably learned while helping care for younger siblings as she was the 3rd oldest of 15 children. Even as her life journey was coming to an end, her instinctive love for children was still intact. When her newborn great-grandson was placed in her arms, it was a thrill to see her eyes light up and give that familiar 'wink' that indicated that all is okay. While living in California, her sister encouraged her to enroll in an oil painting class that was a hobby of several of her siblings. She quickly discovered a new talent and became quite proficient at it. Her many other interests included her love for reading, rosemaling, sewing, quilting, knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, traveling, as well as baking kringla for the Nordic Fest. Survivors include her six children: Harlan (Janelle) Olson of Longmont, CO, Jean Hackman of Rudd, IA, Lewis (Vickie) Olson of Decorah, Dale (Karla) Olson of Decorah, Dean (Tina) Olson of Rudd, and Judith (Myron) Krauskopf of Decorah. She is survived by 21 grandchildren: Kirk Olson of Longmont, CO, Kara (Andrew) Benson of Savage, MN, Jason (Lorie) Hackman of Waukon, Aaron Hackman of Colorado Springs, CO, Alyssa (David) Johnson of Wykoff, MN, Scott (Sharon) Olson of Myrtle Beach, SC, Christopher (Rachel) Olson of New Hope, MN, Brian (Diana) Olson, J.J. Olson of Colorado Springs, CO, Jon Olson of Decorah, Sara Olson of Iowa City, Richard (Anna ) Olson of Plainview, MN, Matthew (Karla) Olson of Decorah, Jeanette (Mitchell) Laures of New Hampton, Deanna ( Justin) Smock of Iowa City, Teresa Olson, Darrick Olson of Decorah, Jordan Olson of Waukon, Zoey Olson of Rudd, Kurt (Carisa) Krauskopf of Decorah, Kelli (Michael) Sanders of Eau Claire, WI. Maxine is also survived by 33 great- grandchildren; Chase Olson, Cassidy and Taylor Benson, Haylee Hackman, Tyler and Tana Hackman, Danielle Montet, Cheyanne, Shayleigh, and Hunter Johnson, Mitchell, Lauren and Christian Olson, Emily, Morgan and Olivia Olson, Brian Olson Jr., Tristan Barth-Olson, Mia and Miles Olson, Cade, Lillian and Mara Olson, Sydney and Carson Laures, Ely and Owen Smock, Kolin, Kasey, Keatyn and Carson Krauskopf, Ezekiel and Gabriel Martin. Her sisters: Ethel Backer of Greene, Janet Huff of Moreno Valley, CA and Marilyn (Dan) Jones of Jamestown, CA; one brother, Harley Leo Pyle Jr. of Allyn, WA; two sisters-in-law: Helen I. Olson of Decorah and Stella Mitchell of Wickenburg, AZ. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Maxine was preceded in death by her husband, Millard February 20, 1976; her parents, Harley October 23,1952 and Lula Pyle August 20,1979; father and mother-in-law: Julius July 14,1953 and Laura (Lien) Olson July 28,1971; infant stillborn son February 14, 1961; her grandsons: Trent Millard Olson August 27, 1968, Adam Troy Hackman December 13, 1989, Walker Trent Olson Aug. 15,1996; Brothers: David (Letha) , Karl (Marian), Robert (Mary), Paul (Elsie), John (Joan), Gerald (Ann) Pyle; Sisters: Mary Janice Pyle, Dorothea (Gene) Torbert, Helen Jean Pyle, Bernice (Melvin) Pierson; Brothers-in- law: John Backer, William Huff, Vernon T. Olson, and Robert Mitchell; Sisters-in-law: Agnes (Donald) Gilson, Irene (Hillman) Sersland, Viola (John) Swingle, Florence (Henry) Ode, Ruth (Harold) Storey, and Myrtle (Lloyd) Graham. She is also preceded in death by several nieces and nephews.