Obituary of Loretta Anne Olson

OLSON, Loretta Anne (Bergos) 87, Loretta died peacefully in her sleep on March 12, 2016, with family at her bedside in Tucson, Arizona. Born August 17, 1928 to Oscar and Selma Bergos in Glasgow, Montana where they homesteaded. In 1929 they moved to a farm near Crookston, Minnesota and later into town, there she grew up and attended Crookston High school. She was in the Chorus, Band and Orchestra where she played the tuba and bass bugle in the Drum and Bugle Corp. She was a member of the National Honor Society and graduated high school in 1946. She moved to Moorhead, Minnesota to attend the Moorhead Teachers College and served as the President of the Moorhead YWCA. During a conference she met husband, Kenneth, who was President of the YMCA in Fargo. She received her teaching degree at Moorhead State University and taught in Glenwood, Minnesota, and married in 1949. The family followed Ken's education around as it grew. First son, Ronald (1954) born in Lansing, Michigan (Master's Degree), Gerald (1956) born in Fargo while Ken worked at NDSU, and David (1958) born in Madison, Wisconsin (Doctoral Degree). The family finally settled in Tucson, Arizona in January of 1962. The Olson's first Tucson home was in University housing in the shadow of the University's Stadium. In 1963 they designed their own home and Loretta lived in it for 51 years. After she had her first son, Ron, she became a homemaker, spending most of her time raising three boys and helped lead the Arizona Wildcats 4-H Club activities. Later she served as president of the Arizona Parent Teachers Association (PTA), president of the University of Arizona Faculty Woman's Organization, held many offices in the Norse Federation (recently changed to Norwegians Worldwide), founded and ran the Leikarring Dancers, a Norwegian Folk Dancing Group for 41 years, president of EMAT (European Multi-Cultural Alliance of Tucson), and president of Vasa Lodge (the Swedish Fraternal organization). She was a long time Arizona Wildcat fan, and had Basketball season tickets and Football season tickets for 44 years. In 2008 for her work with Norse Federation, EMAT, VASA, and the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival, she was honored as an Extraordinary Citizen by Tucson Mayor Robert E. Walkup. She is predeceased by her parents, Oscar and Selma Bergos; three sisters, Lucille, Arlene, Winona (Nonie) and son, Ronald Eugene and husband, Dr. Kenneth S. Olson. Survived by her brother, Oscar Bergos (Marlys) of Moorhead, MN; sons, Gerald Olson (Linda) of Kingman, AZ, David Olson (Terry) of Tucson, AZ, and grandsons, Andrew Olson of Sabastian, FL and Matthew Olson of Rapid City, SD and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at American Evangelical Lutheran Church, 115 N. Tucson Blvd, Tucson Arizona, where a light lunch will be served and Interment will be at East Lawn Palm Cemetery, 5801 E. Grant Rd, Tucson, at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Evangelical Lutheran Church, 115 N. Tucson Blvd, Tucson Arizona 85716. The family extends their gratitude to the staff at Desert Haven Adult Care Center and Holistic Hospice for their support and care in her final days. Arrangements by ADAIR FUNERAL HOMES, Dodge Chapel.