Olav Overvold

Olav Overvold, 103 of Cando, ND, formerly of Velva, ND passed away peacefully on Monday, January 23, 2017, at the Towner County Living Center in Cando. Olav was born in Hallingdal, Norway on August 21, 1913 to Paul and Birgit (Swenson) Overvold and came to the United States with his parents and 4 older siblings at the age of 8 months. He grew up on his parents’ farm northeast of Velva in North Prairie Township. He attended Sunday School and Confirmation at North Prairie Lutheran Church where he was Confirmed.  Olav attended grade school at the North Prairie Country School, two years at Velva High School, followed by two years at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis. He then finished his high school years at Oak Grove High School in Fargo. Following high school, he attended Augsburg College for two years.  In 1943, Olav rented the Nick Nelson farm northeast of Velva. On January 2, 1944, Olav and Helen (Hystad) Hage were united in marriage at North Prairie Lutheran Church and together with her three children, they moved to the Nick Nelson farm which they purchased and where they raised their family to which they added five more children.  In October of 1981, Helen passed away.  In December of 1983, Olav and Eleanor Schmeets were married. They made their home in Velva.  Eleanor passed away in May of 2011 at the Souris Valley Care Center where they were both residing at the time.  In July of 2011, Olav moved to the farm home of his daughter Elizabeth (Jim) Berg at Starkweather where he resided until entering the Cando Living Center in September of 2014.  Olav was active in his church, Sunday school, on the Velva Township Board, the Gideons International where he attended local camp meetings and traveled to several conferences across the United States. He was also involved in the Farm Bureau, Velva School Board and 4-H. Olav was instrumental in establishing the wind farm north of Velva.   Olav enjoyed farming, gardening, planting and nurturing trees on his farm for which he received the Soil Conservation award. His specialty in later years was growing potatoes and sharing them with family and friends.  Olav is survived by his children Helen (Palmer) Lindlauf of Benedict, ND, Phil (Vicki) Overvold of Velva, Solveig (Bruce) Bentson of Inver Grove Heights, MN, Ardis (Randy) Libak of Snohomish, WA, Elizabeth (Jim) Berg of Starkweather, ND and Mark (Karen) Schmeets of Manassas, VA; sister Ruth Overvold of Minot, ND and a sister-in-law Marion Raad of Tioga, ND; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-seven great grandchildren; five great great grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews. The family extends their warmest thanks to the caregivers and staff at Towner County Living Center who lovingly cared for Olav. Olav was preceded in death by his parents; wives Helen and Eleanor; sons Verdell Hage, Jerry Hage and David Overvold; grandson Jeffrey Hage; granddaughter Janet Overvold; great granddaughter Chanda Hage; siblings Agnes Overvold, Sigurd Oliver Overvold, Paul Overvold, Selma (Roy) Malde, Clara Gunhild Overvold, Carl (Marie) Overvold, Sigurd Overvold, Alexander (Dorothy) Overvold, Clara (Stuart) Walker and Pauline (George) Wilson, a nieces and several nephews. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 at 10:30 a.m. at Oak Valley Lutheran Church, Velva, ND. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral service.  A memorial service for Olav will be held Monday, February 13, 2017, at 7p.m. at Trinity Bergen Lutheran Church in Starkweather, ND. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Gideons International, North Prairie Cemetery Association or charity of donor’s choice in memory of Olav. Online condolences at www.gilbertsonfuneralhome.com