Harriet Louise Olson

Harriet Louise (Settergren) Olson, widow of Covenant minister K. Wesley Olson died peacefully on April 12, 2021 at her daughters’ home in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. She was 91. Harriet was born on September 17, 1929, at the Community Hospital in Hutchinson, Minnesota to Victor and Mabel (Mattson) Settergren. She grew up on her family farm in Lake Jennie, Minnesota, was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Lake Jennie Covenant Church and continued serving her church family faithfully throughout her life. After graduating from Dassel High School in 1947, she attended North Park Junior College in Chicago, Illinois where she earned an Associate in Arts degree in 1949. In 1950, she received her Associates in Education degree from St. Cloud State Teachers College in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Although they grew up within 45 miles of each other, it was at North Park in Chicago where she met the love of her life, K. Wesley Olson. They were married on June 29, 1951 and, following K. Wesley’s Covenant ordination, together served churches in Elgin, Illinois; Roseville, New Brighton, and Mankato, Minnesota; as Midwest Conference Superintendent in Omaha, Nebraska; and as interim pastor at several congregations in Minnesota and Colorado after retiring in 1995. They were blessed with four children: Lynda (Jason) Olson-Lee; DiAnn (Tom) Bloomquist; Kent (Debra) Olson; and Brenda (Gary) Redding. In addition to her significant role in the church, Harriet loved children and taught kindergarten through third grade. She enjoyed teaching her students skills that would see them through life. She was not afraid of hard work! Once her own children arrived, she worked as a substitute teacher, a Title 1 Tutor, a nursing home aide, a Target associate, a grocery store clerk, and a caregiver for her mother Mabel Settergren and for an elderly church member in Omaha. Harriet was a doer and there was not much she couldn’t do. She was an accomplished seamstress, teaching herself at a young age after her father stated he would either buy her one dress or the fabric for two. As a mother, she sewed clothes of all kinds for her family including many of Wes’ three-piece suits and even DiAnn’s wedding dress! She was skilled at knitting and completed her signature precious baby blankets for all nine grandchildren and eight of her great-grandchildren. Harriet created a beautiful home for her family, restoring family heirlooms and antiques from both her own family farm in Lake Jennie and from the Olson family farm in Bird Island long before it became fashionable to do so! She had a green thumb, was blessed with great musical ability, and loved spending her days singing in church, creating beautiful works of art through decoupage and flower pressing, reading a good book, conquering word puzzles, or winning in a friendly game of Uno. Her greatest earthly joy was her family and she centered her life around them. She loved her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with all of her heart; they were her deepest treasure. She enjoyed Christmas, Easter, and other holiday and family celebrations at which the family could gather to celebrate Christ’s love. Describing his beloved Harriet, Wes wrote in his memoir, “She has been a wonderful soulmate to me. She is gifted and dedicated, kind and thoughtful, gracious and peace loving. She has been a great pastor’s wife and continues to be a wonderful friend”. He goes on to describe the awe he had in her parental ability and great sensitivity. She was a woman of great integrity who loved Jesus and had a faithful servant’s heart. She was selfless; often putting others needs far above her own. She was a person of great faith and a powerful prayer warrior. Harriet is survived by her daughters and sons-in-laws, nine grandchildren: Kristopher Olson, Emily (Dusty) Gould, Brianna (Nate) Kirt, Hannah (Troy) Barnes, Chelsea (Aaron) McDowell, Joshua, Mikayla, Samuel (Samantha) Redding, and Grace Redding; and 11 great-grandchildren: TJ, Preston, Leila, Wyatt, Rorie, Dahliah, Jacob, Peyton, Katreyus, Gemma, and Maleigh. She is also survived by several cousins and other family along with numerous friends. She was preceded in death by her son, Kent; husband, K. Wesley; brother- and sisters-in-law, Roger, Marie, Deloris, and Carrol; and her parents. A private family funeral service will be held on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Dassel. Funeral services will be live streamed on the Dassel Evangelical Covenant Church facebook site. Interment will be held at the Lake Jennie Evangelical Covenant Church Cemetery in rural Dassel. Memorials may be sent by check to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, St. Jude Honors, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, noting “Harriet L. Olson Memorial Fund” on the memo line, or online (https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/GiftFunds/GiftFunds?px=7013998&pg=personal&fr_id=39300). Peace to her memory.

Harriet Louise Olson

September 17, 1929 - April 12, 2021