Dorothea Alice Olson, age 90, of Ellsworth, Wis. passed away March 19, 2023 at her residence surrounded by family.
Dorothea was born Feb. 28, 1933 in Stockholm, Wis. to Lawrence and Violet (Wallin) Orne. She attended school at Bogus Creek School, and graduated in 1950 from Pepin High School as Valedictorian. Dorothea attended Sunday School, Bible Camp, was confirmed, and was married at the Stockholm Moravian Church. She was united in marriage to Clinton Olson on April 5, 1952. Their marriage was blessed with two children, Dennis and Peggy.
Dorothea worked at Nord’s Drug Store and North National Life Insurance Company in Minneapolis. Dorothea and Clinton joined the Stockholm Moravian Church in 1952, where they were very active members until 2002. Dorothea played the piano and organ for over 40 years. They farmed at Maiden Rock until moving to Ellsworth. Then they became active members at English Lutheran Church. There they met many friends. She played piano at the Ellsworth Nursing Home and later at Preferred Senior Living of Ellsworth.
Family was always very important to Dorothea. She especially spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed attending musicals, girls’ varsity tennis matches, and Panther basketball games. Dorothea enjoyed reading, putting together puzzles, 4-H, watching hummingbirds, collecting dolls, and cheering on the Green Bay Packers. Dorothea loved cats, especially her fur baby “Chilly.” She was fortunate to travel to 16 different countries, and later enjoyed bus tours.
Dorothea is survived by her son, Dennis (Debbie) Olson; daughter, Peggy (Bruce) Schumaker; grandchildren, Kyle (Amy) Olson, Kristin (Matthew) Hoppe, Marissa (Patrick Harrington) Schumaker and Riley Schumaker; great-grandchildren, Landon and Blake Olson, and Emaleigh Hoppe; and sisters, June (Don) Wilcox, Annette (Steve) Pomahatch; sisters-in-law: May (Stan) Ramberg and Margaret Dankers. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68.5 years, Clinton; her parents, Lawrence and Violet Orne; and sister, Loraine Bieganek.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 25, 2023 at English Lutheran Church in Ellsworth, Wis., with a visitation starting at 9 a.m. at the church, with burial at the Stockholm Moravian Cemetery. Memorials are preferred to the Stockholm Moravian Cemetery or English Lutheran Church.
Funeral services are entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ellsworth, www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com, 715-273-4421
