Obituary Record

Myrtle Maxine (McDonald) Olson
Died on 11/16/2007
Buried in Blair Cemetery

This long obituary is taken from the collection in the Notebook of Long Obituaries. The original newspaper article can be found in the Blair Library, Genealogy Room.

Published in Pilot-Tribune, November 20, 2007

MYRTLE M. OLSON, 101

(picture)

Myrtle M. Olson, 101, died Nov. 16, 2007. She died peacefully at the Golden Living Center with her family at her side.

Funeral services were Monday, Nov. 19, at the United Methodist Church in Tekamah. Interment was in the Blair Cemetery.

Myrtle Maxine McDonald was born Sept. 8, 1906, on the family farm south of Blair, to John and Anna (McBride) McDonald. She was the 10th of eleven children. She attended country school and graduated from Blair High School in 1925. She became a schoolteacher and taught in rural schools for two years prior to her marriage.

On Oct. 22, 1927, she married Clarence E. Olson in Fremont. They were happily married for 59 years. The first few years of their married life they lived south of Herman, southwest of Tekamah, and in 1939, settled into their home east of Tekamah where they would live for 37 years while raising their family of five sons and one daughter. In 1976 the couple moved into town. Mrs. Olson continued living in her home until the age of 96 before entering the Golden Living Center.

The early years of her life were full of music. She grew up in a home where everyone learned to play an instrument. Her family had a band that played at many social gatherings such as weddings, barn dances, parties and the Old Settlers Picnics. They also played for the early WOW radio station. Her love for music was unique. She is best remembered for her exceptional ability to play the piano by ear, however her talents were not limited to just the piano. She played a variety of musical instruments. Her repertoire was extensive and her performances were full of the love she had for life that she could celebrate through her music. Her beautiful hands touched the keys of the piano for the last time on Oct. 27, 2007.

Mrs. Olson took great pride in her family and her home. She loved and enjoyed the many family gatherings throughout the years and she always looked forward to visitors on the farm where everyone was made to feel welcome and encouraged to stay for a meal and a cup of coffee. She frequently served dozens of eggs and stacks of pancakes to those who happened to be there in the mornings. Her smile was as big as her heart and her greetings to you would always end with “God Bless You!” She taught life’s values by example - -- helpfulness, responsibility, thriftiness, patience and love; and had a quiet, but strong and enduring faith. She once said her family was getting so big that she couldn’t pray for them all after going to bed so she started her prayers in the easy chair before retiring. She was a lifetime member of the Tekamah Methodist Church. She will be remembered with great admiration and love.

She is survived by her sons and daughter-in-laws, Lloyd and Doris, and Rick and Judy, all of Tekamah; Ron and Kathy of Valley and Jaccie Olson of Dakota city; and daughter and son-in-law, Ann and Raymond Warren of Elkhorn; 19 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren; 29 great-great-grandchildren; and a wealth of relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence, in 1986; two sons, Carroll and Clarence “June”; grandson, Randy Olson; infant great-grandson, Benjamin Olson.

Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church or Tekamah Rescue Squad.

Pelan Funeral Home in Tekamah was in charge of arrangements.

# 2 - - Omaha World-Herald, November 18, 2007

OLSON - - Myrtle M., 101 years, of Tekamah, NE. Passed away Friday, November 16, 2007 at the Golden Living Center in Tekamah. Her children including Lloyd, (Carroll and June), Rick, Ron and Ann Warren.

Funeral Service Monday 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Tekamah. Burial will be at 1:00 p.m. Monday in the Blair Cemetery. Visitation Sunday 1-8 p.m. with family receiving friends from 3 – 5 p.m. at the Funeral Home.

PELAN FUNERAL SERVICES, Tekamah, NE 402-374-1551

(These articles were typed as printed in the newspaper)

Printed in the Washington County Pilot-Tribune on 11/20/2007


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