Bernard Olson

Bernard Olson, 85, of Aberdeen and formerly of Bristol died on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at Aberdeen Rehab and Health Center in Aberdeen. His funeral will be at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, September 29, 2012 at Langford Lutheran Church in Langford. Burial will be in the Hillside Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday 5-7 P.M. with a 7 P.M. Prayer Service. Bernard Andrew Olson was born on Wednesday, February 2, 1927 to Thomas and Alma (Stave) Olson on the family farm in Independence Township, Day County, South Dakota east of Langford. He was baptized and confirmed at Falnes Lutheran Church. He attended country school near his home. He managed the family farm as soon as school was finished. On January 23, 1955 he married Alice Marie LaDue of Langford at Highlanda Lutheran Church. Their first year of marriage was spent in an apartment in Bristol. Then they moved to the Ole T. Olson house on the Thomas Olson farm. To this union six children were born: Tom, Tim, Kathy, Lois, Steven and Patty. The couple later moved off the family farm and bought the Barent Nerland farm where many happy hours were spent. In 1984 Bernard and Alice bought a house in Bristol where he worked for Hansmeier Son. He also worked for Cenex for a short time. In July 2001 Bernard’s kidneys failed and he began Kidney dialysis in the Aberdeen Unit. As his health kept failing they moved to Aberdeen in 2005. On April 13, 2011 he entered Aberdeen Rehab and Health Nursing Home in Aberdeen where he adjusted well and was very much loved by the workers and residents. The couple were members of the Langford Lutheran Church where he sang in the Choir, Men’s Choir, was a Deacon and usher. While living in Bristol the couple were active at Bethesda Lutheran Church and when they moved to Aberdeen they attended Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pierpont where his wife played organ. Bernard loved music, playing his guitar, and singing with his family. When the children were little he played his guitar, Alice played the piano and they all sang for church and nursing homes. Bernard was a hard worker and good provider. On the farm he rarely took any machinery to town to be fixed, he bought the parts and fixed it himself. He loved fishing, too. Sometimes he caught the big one!! Their neighbors, Leonard Myrtle Sampson got the couple interested in Square Dancing. They spent many happy times dancing with the Lake Region Swingers. He was President of the club for a year. They often joined other couples, especially Leonard Myrtle Sampson and Arden Ilene Stave to other festivals. The highlight of their Square Dancing was when they traveled with Lawrence Shirley Willard to the International Square dancing Festival in Seattle, Washington. One highlight of his life was winning a week’s trip to Hawaii!! He even had dialysis there where the waiting room was under the palm trees! While there, he got to fish in the Pacific ocean! On September 19, 2012 he quit Kidney Dialysis and peacefully died on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at Aberdeen, South Dakota at the age of 85 years, 7 months and 24 days. Survivors include his wife, Alice of Aberdeen; his children, Tom (Mary) Olson of Langford, Tim (Rose) Olson of Billings, MT, Steven Olson of Sioux Falls, Kathy Lindquist of Webster, Lois (Brad) Monteith of Andover and Patty (Craig) Harms of Groton; his grandchildren, James, Andrew, Phillip Joshua Olson of Langford, Justin and Ross Lindquist of Yankton, Ben (Jen) Lindquist of Zumbrota, MN, Kevin (Shelia) Monteith of Laramie, WY, Aaron (Thia) Monteith of Rapid City, Kyle (Danielle) Monteith of Wallace,Colton Olson of Sioux Falls, Micah, Jacob Ellie Harms of Groton; his great grandchildren, Alyssa Olson of Langford, Peyton Ellie Small-Lindquist of Yankton, Jackson Noah Lindquist of Zumbrota, MN, Sierra Monteith of Laramie, WY, Asher Monteith of Wallace, Danielle Cloe Monteith of Rapid City and Andrew Olson, Jr. of Langford; one brother, Mernie (Joyce) Olson of Langford; five sisters, Amy Baule of Andover, Evelyn Olson of Shorewood, MN, Thelma (Duane) Dutenhoeffer of Scotts Bluff, NE, Elsie Reinhart of Peoria, AZ and Opal (Gary) Jordan of Watertown, SD. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Ole and Junior, one sister, Christine Hardy and a grandchild, baby Harms.