Esther Olson, 98, Luverne, died Friday, March 13, 2020, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage.
A funeral service was Wednesday, March 18, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Esther Hæåk was born to Adolf and Ragna Hæåk in Lyngdal, Vest-Agder, Norway, on June 25, 1921. When she was four years old, the family moved to nearby Konsmo where she grew up. In Norway, she enjoyed several kinds of sports: cross country skiing, hiking, swimming, and biking. She was educated in Norway and taught school for four years before emigrating to the U.S. in 1948.
Esther married Toby Olson (Røinesdal) at the Norwegian Memorial Church in Minneapolis on Sept. 1, 1948. They spent their life together farming in the Luverne area.
Esther was active as a Sunday School teacher, member of the church women’s group, and other ministries in Zion Lutheran Church and later in Grace Lutheran Church. She loved working for 20 years in the kitchen as a volunteer for the Rock County Senior Citizens Center for which the governor of Minnesota awarded her a certificate of commendation.
She enjoyed crafts, needlework, gardening, cooking and baking. She loved to bake Norwegian delicacies, often alongside her sister Olga. Their two specialties were lefse and Norwegian wedding cakes. She traveled several times back to Norway to visit friends and relatives.
Esther is survived by three sons, Omar Olson and his wife, Sue Ellen Krick of Tampa, Florida, Kenneth Olson and his wife, Molly of Pinedale, Wyoming, and Dennis Olson and his wife, Carol of Pennington, New Jersey; three grandchildren, Ingrid, Eric and his wife, Susan, and Kristen and her husband, Michael; four great-grandchildren, Amelia, Talia, Benjamin, and Ryan; one sister, Torhild Hegeland in Norway; and one sister-in-law, Karin Hæåk, also in Norway; several nieces and nephews; and other family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Toby; her parents; one sister, Olga (Thorson) Gabrielson; two brothers, Reidar Hæåk and Rangvald Hæåk; and ten sisters- and brothers-in-law.
Memorial donations may be given to Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne or Generations (Senior Citizens Center) in Luverne.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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