Betty Olson

BETTY OLSON

Vinton

Betty H. Olson, 91, died Saturday, March 29, 2014, at the Vinton Lutheran Home. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 2, at Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Mark C. Urlaub officiating. Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church and one hour before services Wednesday at the church. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Vinton.

Betty was born Sept. 9, 1922, in Luzerne, Iowa, the daughter of Otis and Hilda Danker Wright. She attended elementary school in Luzerne and graduated from high school in Belle Plaine. She attended Iowa State Teachers College and taught country school before she was married.

Betty met her future husband, Arthur R. Olson, at Junior Farm Bureau and on May 30, 1948, the two were united in marriage at Christ United Methodist Church in Belle Plaine. She and Art lived and farmed in rural Vinton. On the farm, her vegetable and flower gardens grew under her care. The couple had been married for 57 years when Art preceded her in death on Feb. 24, 2006.

Betty was a teacher and although she gave it up as a profession when she married, she was always a teacher. Those who benefitted from her instruction were, of course, her children, but also the dozens of children in Sunday school and 4-H who knew her. Not only a teacher but a caretaker, Betty cared for her family and friends.

Betty was a member of Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church. She was the Sunday school superintendent and participated in the Miriam Circle, Smorgasbord and Fall Festival. She was a 4-H leader for 25 years and was on the Benton County 4-H Committee. She was also a member of Eden Aid and Modern Entertainers. She was a member of a card party for 50 years that played every month. She enjoyed reading, cross-stitching and crossword puzzles.

Betty is survived by one son, John (Ellen) Olson of Vinton; two daughters, Marsha (Alberto) Robles of Merida, Mexico, and Marilyn (Merlin) Zeigler of Gilbert; five grandchildren, Daniel and Andrea Robles, Ben (Lindsey) Olson, Maria (Scott) Mennenga and Emily Olson; four stepgrandchildren, Tim (Lisa), Karin, Jon (Shayla) and Ben (Jennifer) Zeigler; one great-grandchild, Madeline Olson; eight stepgreat-grandchildren, Zachary, Katelyn, Luke, Vivienne, Adi, Isaiah, Kylie and Sydney Zeigler; three sisters, Mildred Mitchell of La Porte City, Beverly (Dale) Williams of Coldwater, Mich., and Ardis (Ron) Pritchard of Yuma, Ariz.; four sisters-in-law, Norma Wright of Kalona, Colleen Wright of Virginia and Billie Wright and Violet (Verne) Johnson of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and four brothers, Richard, Earl, Raymond and Darwin Wright.

Memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Van Steenhuyse-Russell Funeral Home of Vinton is caring for Betty and her family.

Condolences may be left at www.vsrfh.com.