Hersom, Evelyn Louise (Olson)

Evelyn Louise (Olson) Hersom, 85, died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, at a Cedar Rapids hospital following a brief illness.

Born Jan 4, 1927, to Oscar and Daisy (Jamison) Olson in Frederick, S.D., she was a 1944 graduate of Frederick High School and worked at the Pentagon in the final years of World War II Traveling home to South Dakota by train with a girlfriend, she met her husband, Robert W. Hersom, a local musician, during a stopover in Cedar Rapids. They were married for 53 years, from May 23, 1946, until her husband's death Oct. 22, 1999.

While raising her three sons and one daughter, she worked at Crawford's Quarry, Standard Glass, Universal Gym and in the athletic offices at Coe College.

An avid card player and reader, she was also highly artistic and had a lifelong love of music that she acquired growing up in a large farm family. While her children were growing up, she was a PTA president at Polk School and Cub Scout den mother.

She is survived by two sons, Terry (Linda) Hersom of Sioux City, and Tom Hersom of Cedar Rapids; one daughter, Heidi (Mike) Kearney of Richfield, Minn.; daughter-in-law, Cathy Hersom of Oklahoma City, Okla.; three brothers, Leonard Olson of Sweet Home, Ore., Kermit Olson of Lakeside, Calif., and Jim Olson of Aberdeen, S.D.; one sister, Alice Hopfinger of Aberdeen, S.D.; three grandsons, Robbie Hersom of Oklahoma City, Okla., Jason Hersom of Dakota Dunes, S.D., and Jim Hersom, Omaha, Neb.; a granddaughter, Katie (Hersom) Middleton of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and four great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband; her son, Robert S. Hersom; seven brothers, Howard, Wendell, Lawrence, Don, Eldon, Norman and Clifford Olson; and two sisters, Mrs. Bill (Ruby) Backous and Mrs. Curtis (Helen) Garrett.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home and from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the church. A funeral service celebrating Evelyn's life will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 11, at Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, 9000 C Ave. NE, with Pastor Bill Warhover officiating.

Memorials may be given in her name to Echo Hill Presbyterian Church.

Online condolences may be left at under “Obituaries.”

Published in The Gazette Jan. 10, 2011.