Adla Olsen

Adla Olsen, 104, Mandan, died September 5, 2011 at Medcenter One Mandan Living Center.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, September 8, 2011 at First Lutheran Church, Mandan, with Reverend Lee Herberg officiating.  Burial will be at Mandan Union Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Wednesday, September 7 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan, and continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday.

Adla was born on September 29, 1906 at her family’s farm in rural Morton County.  She was the sixth of seven children to Alfred and Augusta (Lindor) Johnson.  From a young age Adla loved to play softball, this continued into her 70’s.  On September 18, 1929 she married Carl Olsen.  They made their home in southwest Mandan along the Heart River bottoms.  In 1932 they moved to her family’s farmstead in southwest Mandan, a home she remained in until moving to the Care Center in 2002.  A talented cook and baker, Adla would say, “You can use my recipe, but it’ll never taste the same.”  This was true and she was loved for all of the wonderful dishes she made and shared.  Adla also enjoyed sewing.  A 4-H leader for many years, she was also a founding member of the Highland Homemakers Club and the Heart River Church Circle.  Having her siblings spread out across the country gave Adla the pleasure of traveling to see them, which she enjoyed as often as she could.  A beloved, dedicated, and honorable woman, Adla leaves her family and friends with many memories that will always be treasured.  She touched so many lives in her nearly 105 years and her stories, recipes, and the love she had for her family will live on. 

Blessed to have shared her life are four children, Leland Olsen, LaVerne Nelson, Norma Nelson, and Duane (Mavis) Olsen, all of Mandan; 16 grandchildren, Jeff (Char) Olsen, Mandan, Lynette (Allen) Burch, Sioux Falls, SD, Craig Olsen, and Beth (Brad) Allen, both of Mandan; Jean (Robert) Schutt, Beulah, Herbert (Doris) Nelson, St. Louis, MO, Tom Nelson, Delton, MI, and Vivian Graham, La Crosse, WI; Susan Epps, Bismarck, Terry Nelson, Dennis (Carla) Nelson, and Kevin Nelson, all of Mandan; and JoAnn (Steve) Schmidt, St. Anthony, LaVon (Randy) Jerome, Belcourt, ND, DeLane Olsen, and LaDean Serrao, both of Moorhead, MN; 44 great grandchildren; 22 great great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Adla was preceded in death by her parents; stepfather; husband, Carl, in 1974; granddaughter, Donna Toman; 2 son-in-laws, Archie and Clifford Nelson; a daughter-in-law, Delores Olsen; her six siblings; and two grandson-in-laws, Stretch Graham and David Serrao.