Olga Emilia (Aalund) Gulbranson, age 96 of Menahga, MN, formerly of Montevideo and Park Rapids, MN, passed away on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Green Pine Acres Nursing Home in Menahga, MN. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, March 19, 2009 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Montevideo, MN. Olga was born on May 28, 1912 in Divide County, North Dakota to Rasmus and Matilde (Pederson) Aalund. She was the eighth of twelve children. She was baptized into the Lutheran faith at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Crosby, ND. Olga attended Blooming Prairie Township county school in Divide, ND and Oak Grove Academy in Fargo, ND. She graduated with the class of 1931 from Ambrose North Dakota High School. She went on to attend Minot State Normal School. Olga accepted a position teaching for Blooming Prairie Schools where she taught all eight grades in a one-room schoolhouse. Olga was united in marriage to Harry Gulbranson in 1938. Their union was blessed with one daughter, Sandra. They made their home in Minot, ND. Olga was employed as a bookkeeper for Western Auto Parts in Minot. From the 1940's until 1952 she managed Hillside Grocery Store with her sister, Martha Wheeler. She also worked for the Ward County Highway Department as a bookkeeper for 22 years. After retirement, she moved to Montevideo, MN to be closer to her family. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Minot, ND and Trinity Lutheran Church in Montevideo, MN. Olga enjoyed traveling; on a trip to Norway she found the site of her father's birth near Nordfjord. She also enjoyed gardening, crocheting and especially fishing. Spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren brought her great joy, she loved them dearly. Olga is loved and will be sadly missed by her daughter, Sandra (George) Thelen of Park Rapids; granddaughters, Kerry (Mark) Jaspersen of Montevideo, MN, Michelle Thelen of Rosemount, MN, and Kelly (Kevin) Janssen of Brooklyn Park MN; great grandchildren, Nolan and Isaac Jaspersen, Aaron and Leighton Janssen; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rasmus and Matilde (Pederson) Aalund; 11 brothers and sisters; and her special friend, Ray Lenarz.