Marie Josephine Olson

Marie [Mary] Josephine was born on April 19, 1896 at the farm Sharon,North Dakota. The 1900 census for Steele County, Westfield Townshipnotes that she is four years old. She attended Westfield Public Schoolwhich was built on the land donated by Mr. Mc Crea and about 3 miles fromthe farm. She is in the third row of the Westfield School picture takenin 1905. She is listed as Mary Olson on the list of students for theschool year October 15, 1906 to May 17, 1907. She was confirmed on June11, 1911 at Hoff Lutheran Church by Rev. B. I. Land. Her ConfirmationCertificate has several verses inscribed on it. "Be faithful until deathand I will give you the crown of life." "If mountains could be moved,but my forgiveness will not leave you and my promise of peace not bechanged says the Lord the giver of mercy." The Lord is my shepherd and Iam not short of anything." On pages of the book at the bottom of thecertificate - "The ones living in your home will be given forgiveness.""They should continuously worship you."
Marie and her sisters attended Oak Grove Seminary in Fargo, North Dakotawhere she studied music among other subjects. When she had completed herstudies, she served as organist for Hoff Lutheran Church and taught pianoto children in the area. There was a fine reed organ in the parlor ofthe Olson home that was well used. [We children were thrilled when wewere allowed to play it. It took two to play the keys and manage thebellows and pedals.]
"We operated the McCrea farm for twenty-three years. Our children wereborn there except Sonja, the youngest of six, who was born at the Sharonhospital. Mary Olson, Dan's daughter, came over when our babies wereborn and helped with the cooking and housework. Dr. Melvin T. saverycame from Northwood for the delivery." Vesle Hans, Leona Hanson Wenaas.The Olson farm was about a mile down the road from the McCrea farm.
During the summer, Mary and her sisters worked as cooks for threshingcrews on the Olson and neighboring farms. Later Mary went to Minneapolisand worked in the flour mills and a hospital laundry. She went to VanHook, North Dakota to help her sister Esther when Leora was born and thatis where she met Nils Meland. Nils and Marie were married on June 21,1922 at Hoff Lutheran Church, Sharon, North Dakota. The wedding ceremonywas performed by Rev. Ingel Hovland [Lenore Meland's uncle].
Mary was talented in many ways. She painted lovely scenes in oil paint.A picture of a Minneapolis home and lake is painted on the clean side ofa cardboard dress box. She knitted, crocheted, and embroidered manylovely things. She was a fine seamstress and her dresses were handembroidered beautifully and expertly. She made many hand stitchedquilts. We children loved to match pieces in a quilt to the dressesMother had made for us. She made clothes for all of us throught theyears. During the depression she made a snowsuit for me from Dad's WWIarmy blanket. She cooked wonderful meals; baked bread, lefse, cookies,cakes, pies; canned vegetables from the garden she planted and tended andberries and fruits as they became available. She was a woman of greatpatience and love. She taught us to have fun and to use ourimagination. She and Dad sang in our church choir and participated inour church and school activities.
When her family was grown, she volunteered in the Convalescent home andplayed the piano for the residents. She was a member of the Church LadiesAid, American Legion Auxiliary, Women's Temperance Union, and Bowlingleague. She enjoyed two trips to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and France andtrips to California to visit the Kenney family.
Marie died of stomach cancer on September 21, 1967 at home in Northwood,North Dakota. Her funeral was held on September 26, 1967 at theEvangelical Lutheran Church, and she was buried at the NorthwoodCemetery.
See the Meland Family history in "Norway to America".