Service of Remembrance for Deborah Olson, 91, of Hettinger, ND will be Friday, March 23, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Kathleen Dettmann will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22, at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger. A Family Service will be held at the church at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 22.

Deborah was born in a sod house on April 7, 1915, in Adams County, ND. She was the fourth child born to Marie (Goplin) and Edwin Erickson. They lived very modestly, mostly on what they raised off the land. Deborah came to appreciate hard work early on by pulling weeds, milking, and doing other farm chores. Deborah's early schooling began at Dr. White's shack before later moving to a one-room schoolhouse. Deborah grew up during a time when children had to create their own fun, and she and her sisters enjoyed cutting out paper dolls from the Sears & Roebuck Catalog. It wasn't all dolls and dresses, however, as Deborah spoke of overfilling the cattle tank to create a sledding hill or racing platform buggies with the neighbor kids and not getting caught.


In 1935, Deborah took a job in Lemmon, SD doing housework and caring for a newborn for $1.50/week. By spring, she had saved enough to buy a train ticket to Rochester, MN where she had heard there were jobs with better pay. Deborah answered an ad for a cook in a doctor's home. She claimed that what she knew about cooking "you could put in your left eye and never feel it," but she was hired and started the next day. She studied cookbooks to make the fancy meals requested by her employer.


In the fall of 1939, Arvid Olson came to Rochester to see Sigrid, Deborah's sister. Arvid also brought his brother Ole. They went to a movie and Deborah was asked to go along. The love bug must have bit both Ole and Deborah, as they later went to a picnic followed by another movie, all the while having a very good time. When the boys left for North Dakota, Deborah felt like all the sunshine went too. Deborah and Ole corresponded for several months until she moved back to Hettinger. On March 17, Ole proposed to Deborah, and they were married by a judge on October 16, 1941 in Ekalaka, MT. They kept the marriage a secret from their parents until Christmas.


Ole and Deborah started their married lives working for other people. Deborah worked for Snyder's Bakery and truly loved her job. The job gave her the solid foundation in baking that eventually produced the world's best caramel rolls.


In 1942, a new chapter opened in Deborah's life with the birth of her first child, Orlee. He was followed by Lois, Linda, Sheila, Sheryl, Clayton, Elaine and Eve. Deborah lived for her children and later, her grandchildren. The more she could do for them, the happier she was. In her eyes, each one was a blessing from God.


In the fall of 1952, after Elaine was born, Deborah had an accident and was severely burned for the second time in her life. She was hospitalized in Hettinger for three weeks, and later transferred to Bismarck for six months. She had pain from the ordeal, but her husband and family suffered as well. She gave credit for her survival to God, Ole and her children, and the prayers of her many dear friends.


In The late 1960's, Deborah and Ole rented and later owned a café in Hettinger for almost a year. Deborah felt that the good Lord was watching over her when the café burned, allowing her more time with the family.


Deborah took pride in taking care of her family until the fall of 1968, when she accepted a job at the hospital as manager of the dietary department. She would work there until she retired in the late 1980s.


On August 16, 1974, Deborah lost the love of her life when Ole passed away. She continued to keep busy with her many hobbies: picking crocuses, helping with harvest, making quilts and birthday cakes, and watching the cattle and crops grow. One of her favorite pastimes was traveling. If a car was moving, Deborah wanted to be in it. Trips with or to visit family were her most enjoyable, including two vacations to Europe and several outings to water and amusement parks.


Deborah was active in the community as a member of the Hettinger Lutheran Church, Legion Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary, Hospital Auxiliary, and WELCA. She lived on her own until 2004, when she moved to the Hillcrest Care Center.


Deborah Olson passed away on Sunday, March 18, 2007 at the Hillcrest Care Center in Hettinger, ND.

Grateful for having shared in Deborah's life are her children, Orlee Olson, Fargo, ND, Lois Adsem, Hettinger, ND, Linda Engraf, Hettinger, ND, Sheila (Rodney) Novak, Mott, ND, Sheryl ( Bobbie) Bishop, Wabash, IN, Clayton (Cynthia) Olson, Belfield, ND, Elaine (Donald) Nash, Prairie City, SD and Eve ( Donald) Safratowich, Hettinger, ND; 45 Grandchildren; 29 Great-Grandchildren; one brother, Andrew Erickson, Hettinger, ND
one sister, Eleanor Walch, Hettinger, ND; five sisters-in-law and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Deborah was preceded in death by her husband, Ole P. Olson, her granddaughter Dawn Nash, her great-grandson Gabriel Olson, her parents, two brothers and two sisters.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established by her family.