Ruth Olson, of Milan, died Sunday, August 10, 2008 at Rosewood in Montevideo at the age of 79.
Funeral Services will be conducted on Thursday, August 14 , 2008 at 11:00 A.M. at Big Bend Lutheran Church with Rev. Jay Grave officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery.
Visitation will be held Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the family from 5 - 7 PM and with a prayer service at 6:45 P.M. at the Anderson Funeral Home in Montevideo. Ruth Elaine (Gustad) Olson was born on September 13, 1928 in Storden, MN to Clifford and Mary (Mattison) Gustad. She was baptized at Old Westbrook Lutheran and confirmed at Highwater Lutheran Churches, both of Storden, MN. As a girl she moved with her family to the rural Milan, MN area and graduated from Appleton High School in 1947. On September 5, 1948 she was united in marriage to Wallace Olson at Big Bend Lutheran Church. They lived and farmed in rural Milan until 1995, when they moved into Milan. Beginning in 1985 they spent many winters in the Mesa, AZ area. Since 2004 she has lived at Sunbridge and Rosewood Care Facilities in Montevideo. She was a long-time member of Big Bend Lutheran Church and was a Sunday School teacher, a circle member and a member of the women's groups. She enjoyed traveling, homemaking, gardening and spending time with her children, grandchildren, friends and family.
She is survived by her husband Wally; four children: Gerald (and Marge) Olson of Danvers, MN; Kenneth (and Carol) Olson , Debra (and Robert) Munsterman and Richard (and Kim) Olson, all of Milan; 10 grandchildren: Kristi Olson; Kelly Olson; Ashley Olson; Benjamin Olson; Ryan Munsterman; Alison Munsterman; Justin Munsterman; Brenda Welling; Jeff Ruess; Jay Ruess; 6 great grandchildren; 2 brothers: Orvis (and Connie) Gustad of Grand Junction, CO and Dudley (and Angie) Gustad of Osage, MN; 2 sisters: Clarice (and John) Velde of Clarkfield, MN and Connie (and Vern) Lein of Boyd, MN; sisters-in-law, Charlene Gustad of Alexandria and Joan Gustad of Akeley, MN; a brother-in-law, Cliff May of Ponsford, MN as well as by numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a great granddaughter, Courtney Staton, two brothers: Russell and Rodney Gustad, two sisters, Carol May and Marlene Shaw and a brother-in-law, Darrel Shaw.