Pearl Olson

Our beautiful mother, Pearl J. Olson, 92, was welcomed into the arms of her loving savior on June 9, 2019 with her family by her side. She had been residing at Valley Eldercare, Grand Forks, ND.

Pearl Nelson was born on July 8, 1926, on a farm near Alvarado, MN, the daughter of Nels and Martha Nelson. She attended North Star country school and graduated from Alvarado High School in 1944. She was united in marriage to William E. “Bill” Olson on September 6, 1944 in Warren, MN. Married for 55 years, they were lifelong farmers in the Alvarado community and raised five children there.

Pearl was a member of New Hope Lutheran Church and the WELCA group. She was known for her donuts, homemade buns, lefse and Swedish pancakes. She enjoyed sewing, cross-stitch embroidery and crewel embroidery. Pearl was an avid reader and spent many hours writing in her journals. She also enjoyed drawing and discovered later in life that adult coloring was a new favorite activity.

Her greatest achievement was raising her children and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Pearl is survived by her sons, Virgil (Noel), Grand Forks, ND and Robert, Lino Lakes, MN; daughters, Margaret (Richard) Nelson, East Grand Forks, MN, Carol (Daniel) Baarstad, Nome, ND and Barbara (Bruce) Wold, Cologne, MN; nine grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren with another expected in the fall, and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, who died on October 28, 1999; parents, Nels and Martha Nelson; brothers, Andrew and Hjalmer; sisters, Alma Berg, Inez Furst, and three year old Velma; brothers-in-law, Ernest Berg and Klemens Furst; sisters-in-law, Maybelle Nelson, Rose Nelson and Annie Nelson; and daughter-in-law, Jan Olson.

FUNERAL SERVICE: 10:30 AM on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at New Hope Lutheran Church in Alvarado, MN.

VISITATION: After 5:00 PM with a 6:30 PM prayer service on Wednesday at New Hope Lutheran Church in Alvarado and one hour before services at the church on Thursday.

INTERMENT: Oaklawn Cemetery, Alvarado, MN

MEMORIALS PREFERRED TO: Oaklawn Cemetery, New Hope Lutheran Church, Valley Eldercare Center or Altru Hospice

The family extends special thanks to the staff of Valley Eldercare and Altru Hospice for the loving care given to our mother.