Mildred Esther Oleson

Mildred “Millie” Oleson, 87 of Devils Lake, ND left this world on Tuesday, May 4 surrounded by her loving family. Millie passed away at the Good Samaritan Center, Devils Lake. Funeral Services for Millie will be held on Monday, May 10, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Devils Lake. Rev. Jeff Nicla will officiate and burial will be in the Norway Lutheran Cemetery, rural Devils Lake. Visitation will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home, Devils Lake on Mother’s Day, Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Visitation on Monday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Millie will be Mark MacDonald, Darin MacDonald, Russ Moen, Rick Moen, Dale Bergsrud and Bert Steffen. Honorary Bearers are the CNA’S and Staff of the Good Samaritan Center who gave Millie such loving care. Music will be provided by Tom Burckhard, soloist and Lynda Pearson, organist. Mildred Esther Moen Oleson was born on February 1, 1923, the firstborn of Signe (Elgin) and Mattius Moen of rural Devils Lake. A sunny, happy child, Millie grew into a sunny, happy, fun-loving adult. She graduated from Devils Lake High School in 1941 and worked for a time as a bookkeeper for Swenson Brothers before marrying Leland Albert Oleson on January 1, 1942 in Superior, Wisconsin. Leland had gone there to work in the railroad yards building steam locomotives and Millie wasn’t about to let him get away. Their first born, Daryl, was born in November of 1942 and not long afterward, the family moved back to North Dakota and their beloved Devils Lake. They lived and worked on farms in the Churchs Ferry and Lake Region area as a couple; Leland doing farm work and Millie helping with the cooking for the harvesting crews. The only time she ever drove a car it was a Model A and while heading into Devils Lake for groceries from Churchs Ferry on a frosty morning she hit a patch of black ice, spun around and hit the ditch. After that, she vowed to never drive again and she never did. In 1952 the Oleson’s were living in the Locke Block building when they welcomed their first daughter, Louise. Two years later along came daughter number two, Lynn. Millie is best known for the 20 years she worked in ladies ready-to-wear at J.C. Pennys in Devils Lake. Every Saturday night at the Oleson house was date night as Millie and Leland got all dressed up and went to the Eagles or the Elks clubs for a night of dining and dancing. They loved to play cards, cribbage, pinochle and just about every board and card game you could think of. Millie loved nothing more than organizing an afternoon dinner party or huge family gathering at Sullys Hill or Roosevelt Park. She was one of the best cooks around, some would say her cinnamon rolls, doughnuts and brownies were the stuff of legends - not to mention her pot roast or macaroni hot dish. Together the Oleson’s did a great deal of traveling as a family making trips to Tacoma, Washington and Los Angeles, California whenever the money would allow. They were like the Griswald’s in the station wagon, bound for Disney Land and Knott’s Berry Farm. Plus there were numerous trips to favorite fishing spots like Lake Itasca, Lake Ashtabula, the Sheyenne River and Lake Cavanaugh - to name a few. In her later years, Millie, organized Sunday afternoons at the house on 8th Street inviting bachelor farmers and relatives to spend the day playing cards and dining on one of her splendid meals. The toughest thing of all was when Millie had to give up cooking in her own kitchen after a few recipe malfunctions and burner mishaps, when dementia robbed her of one of the things she loved most to do.Always upbeat and optimistic, Millie resisted growing old as long as she could. She was the unofficial “Poster Child for Oil of Olay” because she used it religiously. When her Leland passed away on November 1, 2003, Millie never fully really recovered from the loss. Caring for him during the final years of his life took a real toll on her and a bout of the flu landed her in the hospital and ultimately into the Good Samaritan Care Center in May of 2008. She is survived by her son, Daryl and his wife, Karen, of Mission Viejo, Calif. and daughters; Louise of Devils Lake and Lynn and her husband, Mike James, of Tucson, Ariz. Four grandchildren; Cassidy Louise James, Resa Ann James, Jennifer Louise (Oleson) Baker and Jeffrey Scott Oleson. Her brothers; Arnold Moen of Devils Lake, Donald Moen of Staples, Minn., and Vernon Moen of Devils Lake, and sisters; Sylvia (Moen) Rude of McVille, Arlene (Moen) Nelson of Tacoma, Wash., Doris (Moen) Johnson of Denver, Color., and Verna (Moen) Newman of Greer, S.C. She was preceded in death by her beloved Leland, parents, brother Melvin, sister SelmaTimboe-Shelver.