Donna Jeanne Olson

Donna J. Olson, of Big Sandy Lake near McGregor and formerly of Sunburg, died Wednesday, March 29, at The Waters of Plymouth Assisted Living, just short of her 98th birthday.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, April 7, at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunburg.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service.  Interment will be at Spring Creek Lutheran Church.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to Hope Lutheran Church or to a charity of donor’s choice of donor's choice are preferred.  Arrangements are entrusted to the Peterson Brothers Sunburg Funeral Home.  www.petersonbrothers.com

Donna Jeanne (Peterson) Olson was born on April 9, 1925, in Sunburg, Minnesota, the daughter of Nels and Alma (Hollen) Peterson. She was baptized (in Norwegian) on May 24, 1925, and confirmed on May 1, 1938, at the West Norway Lake Lutheran Church in Sunburg, attended rural grade school in the Sunburg area and graduated from Kerkhoven High School in 1942.  On December 23, 1944, she married Lloyd Allan Olson.  They lived and farmed near Sunburg for 40 years before retiring in 1985. She lived at her home on Big Sandy Lake from 2002 until 2017 before moving to The Waters of Plymouth. Until 2012, she spent winters in Sarasota, Florida.

Donna was very active in her churches at Hope Lutheran of Sunburg, Grace Lutheran of McGregor, and St. Armand’s Key Lutheran of Sarasota, Florida.  She was a Sunday School teacher and ladies aide and circle member.  Her community activities included 4-H adult leader and flower club. Visitors always enjoyed her beautiful flower gardens and her bountiful fruit and vegetable gardens.

Surviving are her children and spouses, Gary (and Shari) Olson of Monument, CO, and Pat (and Mark) Ellinger of Corcoran, MN; granddaughters and spouses, Kristin (and Jim) Swift of Lexington Park, MD, and Laurie (and Jeremy) Edwards of Monument, CO; great-grandchildren, Matthew Edwards, and Sadie and Jake Swift, besides other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lloyd; her parents; and her sister, Margaret Gronseth.