Loa Karoline Murschel

Loa Murschel, 101, of Roslyn, SD and formerly of Webster, SD, passed away on Friday, October 30, 2020 at Strand Kjorsvig Nursing Home in Roslyn. Private funeral service will be on Wednesday, November 4, 2020 at 10:30 A.M. and will be livestreamed on Fiksdal Funeral Service Facebook page. Burial will be at Webster Cemetery. Public walk through visitation will be on Tuesday from 5-7 P.M. at Fiksdal Funeral Service. Loa Karoline Olson was born on April 5, 1919 to Glen and Teckla (Thompson) Olson at the “Old Buss place” north of Lake City, South Dakota. She was baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Hillhead, South Dakota. The family lived near Hillhead and Loa attended Marshall County #1 Country School. Loa helped her father with all outside work and always accompanied him on cattle drives. The family moved to Elbow Lake, Minnesota for a short time before moving back to Hillhead. Loa stayed with family in Minnesota where she cooked and cleaned to help pay for her board while attending high school. She graduated from Elbow Lake High School in 1938. In the fall of 1938 Loa moved to Webster where she entered the Peabody Hospital School of Nursing. While living in Webster Loa met and got to know Lawrence Murschel. Lawrence entered the military in 1941 and was stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. After Loa graduated from nursing school she moved to Spanish Fork, Utah where she worked for Dr. Georges for one year. She quit her job in Utah and moved to Florida to marry Lawrence on July 11, 1942. The couple then moved to Chicago while Lawrence was in a Special Naval School. Loa decided to move back to Webster where she lived with Anna and Jacob Murschel (Lawrence’s parents) and worked at the hospital until their oldest daughter, Loa was born. Just before Christmas of 1943 mother and daughter moved back to Chicago to be with Lawrence until he was transferred to Panama. Loa and daughter, Loa Ka moved back to Webster where Loa continued working at the hospital. Lawrence returned to Webster and the family made their home there. Their second daughter, Pamela was born in 1948. In the 50’s Loa volunteered helping the less fortunate who were unable to care for themselves on a farm near Webster. She worked in and out of nursing while their children were young, but spent most of her time being a homemaker, sewing all her children’s clothes, gardening, and canning the family’s fruits and vegetables, and even making homemade soup. Loa started working for Bethesda Nursing Home in 1961 and continued to work as a nurse for 26 years before retiring in 1986. Lawrence passed away in 1996. Loa continued living in Webster before moving to Heritage Village in 2007 and then to Strand Kjorsvig Nursing Home in 2014. Loa was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Webster where she participated in Church Circle. She enjoyed baking and baked the communion bread for church well into her 90’s. She was also a member of the Ladies Auxiliary. Loa’s nursing nature carried on after her retirement. She loved to care for people and while living at the Strand Kjorsvig Nursing Home she would spend her time helping other residents. Loa enjoyed gardening, canning, quilting, sewing, baking, making lefsa, and needs anonymous. Above all, she enjoyed spending time with her friends and family. Loa passed away on Friday, October 30, 2020 at Strand Kjorsvig Nursing Home in Roslyn at the age of 101 years, 6 months, and 25 days. She will be missed by her daughter, Pamela (Donald) Connor of Waubay, SD; one sister, Mildred Vig of Fargo, ND; two grandsons, Shad (Heidi) Connor of Fargo, ND and Troy (Deb) Keeley of Aberdeen, SD; two great-grandsons, Grant Connor and Gavin Connor both of Fargo, ND; sister-in-law Virginia Huntimer of Madison, SD; and many cousins. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, daughter Loa Ka Keeley (Gerald Keeley), brother Joe Olson, and brother-in-law Ordin Vig.