Viola Lillian Olson

Viola Lillian Olson
February 22, 1934 • August 25, 2024

Viola L. Olson, 90, of Benson, Minnesota (formerly of Swift Falls) died Sunday afternoon, August 25, 2024, at the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck, Minnesota. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, August 29, at the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Swift Falls. Visitation will continue Friday, August 30 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. The burial will be in the Swift Falls Cemetery.
Viola L. Olson was born  February 22, 1934, in Dolliver, Iowa, the daughter of Byron M. and Minnie (Griese) Tirevold. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith. She grew up in the Chokio, Minnesota area. She attended country school District 57 through the eighth grade and graduated from Chokio High School.
In 1953, Viola married Robert Maras at the Lutheran church in Chokio.
September 11, 1982, Viola married Donald L. Olson. This union was blessed with over 42 years of marriage. Viola was a homemaker and worked as a cook for the Danvers and Benson Schools. She was a member of the Church of the Visitation Catholic Church, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Swift Falls, and WELCA at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. She enjoyed embroidery, ceramics, gardening, flowers; yellow roses were her favorite, canning and freezing her garden produce, cooking, and baking, reading, watching TV, and puzzle books. Together Vi and Don enjoyed traveling and made special trips to Sweden, Alaska, and Arizona, just to name a few.  She shared her passion for sewing by making blankets for each of the grandchildren, sewing clothes for her family, and sewing dresses for special family occasions. She loved spending time with her family, especially the grandchildren. She was called from this life Sunday afternoon, August 25, 2024, at the Minnewaska Lutheran Home in Starbuck. She attained the age of 90 years, six months, and three days.
Viola is survived by her husband, Donald Olson of Benson; her children: Peggy (Bill) Razink of Clontarf, Richard Maras of Bemidji, Michael (Debra) Maras of Benson, Kathleen (Robert) Kopel of Donnelly, James (Robin) Maras of Larkspur, Colorado, and Patricia (Kurt) Flaten of Princeton; stepchildren: Wendy Bakke of Hutchinson, Gary (Donna) Olson of Dassel, David (Heather) Olson of Lawrence Kansas, Brian (Nancy) Olson of Morris, Julie (Craig) Hanson of Belgrade; 37 grandchildren; 66 great-grandchildren; son-in-law Glenn Bahl; her brothers: Dennis Tirevold of Cosmos and Lyle Tirevold of Maple Grove; sister-in-law Leona Blowers of Benson; special friends Jean Barto and Marilyn Dorschner; nieces, nephews, and several other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Robert Maras, her parents Byron and Minnie Tirevold, two daughters Susan and Vickie, siblings Richard (Marilyn) Tirevold and Arelene (Wally) Suckow, two siblings in infancy, two grandchildren in infancy, brothers and sisters-in-law: Russell and Lucy Olson, Ardell and Marge Olson, and Ronnie Blowers.
Blessed be her memory.
Zniewski Funeral Home of Benson is assisting the family with the arrangements.