Marie Olson

Marie Olson, 83, passed away while holding her daughter's hand and surrounded by family and friends on February 28, 2013, at the Good Samaritan Center in Larimore, ND.

Marie Margaret Kearns Olson was born on a farm near Honeyford, ND, on May 19, 1929, to Michael Patrick Kearns and Marie Anne Renne' Moritz Kearns. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Fargo in 1947. She married Orlando Kenneth Olson on April 1, 1950, and lived and farmed near Arvilla their entire lives. They had 4 children: Kenneth , Larry, Steven, and Julie.

Marie worked as a bookkeeper in Chicago from 1947-1949, and as a housekeeper at the Grand Forks County Home from 1970-1973, and as housekeeping supervisor at the Good Samaritan Center in Larimore from 1973 until she retired in 1992. Marie was a long-time member of the Arvilla Moderns Homemakers Club, and volunteered for the Arvilla Cemetery Board, and was an active member of the Good Samaritan Center Auxiliary after retirement, where she served as secretary for many years. She also kept the books for the family's farming operation.

Among her many interests were gardening, feeding the birds and hummingbirds, researching family history, creating photo albums for family members, and spending time watching her grandchildren grow up. She also traveled with Orlando and Julie across North Dakota, to Phoenix, Arizona, the Grand Canyon, Washington, DC, Greenville, SC, and Asheville, NC. Marie, Orlando, and daughter Julie attended the dedication ceremony of the National Peace Officers Memorial, in Washington, DC in 1992. There, they saw President George H.W. Bush give the dedication address, and saw their son Kenneth's name carved on the national monument. Kenneth Olson was killed in the line of duty in 1978.

Marie is survived by sons Larry (Jennifer) Olson of Arvilla; Steven (Joann) Olson of Arvilla; daughter Julie Olson of Arvilla (formerly of Washington, DC); and grandchildren Kristal Walen of Arvilla; Kami (Keith) Hildebrandt of Grafton; Kevin (Brittany) Olson of Arvilla; Great-grandchild Serena Walen; daughter-in-law Bonnie Andrys of East Grand Forks, MN; sister Arlene Anderson of Larimore; and many nieces and nephews, and cousins in Ireland.

She is preceded in death by son Kenneth, husband Orlando, 7 sisters and 3 brothers.

Funeral will be held at the Good Samaritan Center in Larimore on Wednesday, March 6, at 10 AM, with visitation at 9 AM.

Interment will be held in the Arvilla Cemetery, Arvilla, ND.