Esther A. Olson, age 99 of Glenwood, died Friday, January 05, 2018 at the Glenwood Retirement Village in Glenwood.  A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on April 21st at All Saint's Chapel in the Glenwood Retirement Village with Pastor Bonnie Lomen officiating. Private family burial will be in in Woodlawn Cemetery in Annandale, MN. Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home.

Esther Amelia (Gerber) Olson was born on February 15, 1918 in Howard Lake Minnesota, to August and Dorothy (Dangers) Gerber. Esther was the youngest of twelve siblings and learned to work hard at an early age. The household was very German and to have fun, they created their own mischief. Esther was proud to have represented Howard Lake as the Strawberry Princes sand participated in the early days of the Aquatennial in Minneapolis.

On June 9, 1942, she married Earl Olson from Annandale, Minnesota. They lived in Annandale until 1957 where Earl was Chief of Police. When he became a State Trooper they moved to Glenwood and Esther worked as a nurse’s aide at the Glenwood hospital for just short of 30 years. They had two children, Nancy and Steve.

Esther loved to embroider and made thousands of sets of dish towels and pillowcases. She loved to play cribbage and cards with her friends. She will be remembered for her sugar cookies, lemon pie, red jello with fruit cocktail, and very well done meat with awesome gravy. She had a sense of humor with one liners and naughty words until the end.

She is survived by her daughter, Nancy (Bob) Gandrud of Glenwood; daughter-in-law, Linda Olson; 6 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Earl Olson, son, Steve Olson, 11 siblings and their spouses.

May she rest in peace and know that we will enjoy retelling her stories over and over and each time we laugh it insures she will not be forgotten!

 Service Information