Obituary Posted: 6/30/04
Verna Evelyn Carpenter, the daughter of Christen Arthur and Hilda (Wicklund) Olson, was born at Friesland on Sept. 27, 1915.
The oldest of ten children born into the Olson family, Verna attended a rural elementary school located a few miles west of their family farm. She later graduated from Hinckley High School in Hinckley.
Verna was a wonderful woman who loved life. Her parents, Arthur and Hilda Olson came over to the United States from Sweden. She was the oldest of ten children, seven girls and three boys. Her mother passed away when she was in her teens leaving her and Edith, her oldest sister to help raise the family. She grew up in Friesland under hard conditions, but always made the best of it.İIn her youth, she attended theİLutheran and Presbyterian churches andİbelonged to the Luther League. She loved to sing and together with her sisters they would all harmonize.İ It was absolutely beautiful.İ Mom had a beautifulİvoice.İ
In 1935 Verna married Ells-worth Carpenter in Pine City. The couple lived in Rock Creek and Ellsworth worked on the Challeen Pineland Brand Potato Farm. Her family, which consisted of seven children; four boys and three girls was her whole life. She also lived inİMinneapolis, Bethel, Ham Lake and eventually in Rush City in the country. She loved living in the country with all the beautiful animals.İ She said the early morning was the best part of the day when youİcould hear all the birds singing, watch the glorious sunrise andİsee the deer come into the cornfield to feed.İShe loved animals and had such a kind heart that no stray would remain a stray if she had anything to do with it.İShe worked very hard all of her life. When they lived in Rush City, they had a huge garden which Verna, Ellsworth and Dale took care of.İ So in the fall there would be plenty of canning and freezing. The family always had fresh vegetables and Verna would can peaches, strawberries, etc.İ Ellsworth farmed as well as worked in the cities so the family always had animals either cows, chickens and or pigs to take care of, so there was never a lack of things to do. Hard work but she did it with a loving heart. She loved doing things for the people she loved. Verna always had a snack for her kids when they came home from school. She made the most delicious cinnamon rolls and fudge.İWhen she baked bread, she would fry the bread in butter and then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on it.
Verna would lovingly cut pictures of roses out of seed catalogs and cut hearts out of construction paper and make the most beautiful Valentines and send them all to her children and grand-children. At Easter she would just use different flowers out of the seed catalog and do it all over again. She was always showing her love with her glorious smile and laughter. She had a wonderful sense of humor and could have fun with some of the silliest things. She taught her family to respect other people, to be kind and to be honest. We learned by example as well as her teachings. She spent her last five years in Green Acres Country Care Center in North Branch after suffering a stroke which left her partially paralyzed and unable to speak.İShe made the best of that as well and would just shake her head and smile when the words didnít come out exactly right. Of course, there were times of frustrations as well, but she didn't let it get her down. She was a fighter and a survivor with a very strong constitution. Verna died from complications of pneumonia on June 21st 2004 at Green Acres at the age of 88 years. All of the people at Green Acres just loved her and will miss her.İ Some of the nurses evenİcalled her ìgrandmaî or ìmaî and said she was the sweetest person.İThe high school kids from North Branch would come and visit and Mom just adored young kids. They would bring her presents at holidays.
Verna is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law: Donald and Clarence ìCalî House of South St. Paul, Kay and Dan Decker of Golden Valley, and Gwen and Frank Krelic of Harris; her sons and daughter-in-law: Dale Carpenter of Rush City, Richard and Carolyn Carpenter of Colville, Wash., and Greg Carpenter of Isant; 11 grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; sisters and brothers-in-law: Edith Anderson of Rush City, Eileen Johnson of DeKalb, Ill., Elda and James Owen of Henderson, Nevada, and Florence and Melvin Messer of Park Rapids, Bill Bowe of Oregon; her brother and sisters-in-law: Glenn and Phyllis Olson of Arizona, Fannie Olson of Sandstone, Evelyn Dahlberg of Rush City; several nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Christen and Hilda Olson; her husband, Ellsworth, in 1996; her son, Kenneth; and her sisters and brothers: Norma Alm, Jean Bowe, Arnold Olson, and Lester Olson.
Funeral services were Saturday, June 26, at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rush City with the Rev. Laurie OíShea officiating. Music was by organist Doris Swanson and soloist Deanne Saari. Casket bearers were Vernaís grandsons: Shane Kepler, Ty Carpenter, Jeff Krelic, John Klimmek, Tom Tschida, and Todd Tschida with grandson Chance Carpenter an Honorary Casket Bearer. Inurnment is planned in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery at Friesland. Arrangements by Olson Chapel, Rush City.
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