Life Time Resident Laid to Rest Friday
Mrs. N. L. Olsen Passed Following Short Illness. Mother of Twelve Children. Ten Survive Her.
Mrs. N. L. Olsen succumbed to a series of heart attacks last Monday morning, April 18, 1949 at Hillsboro hospital.
Cora Penland, daughter of Frank and Eliza Penland, was born August 25, 1877 on her father’s homestead 3 miles west and 1 mile north of Marion, Kansas. When Cora was a small child her parents moved to a farm in Chautauqua county, Kansas. After living there two years the family moved back to Marion county where her father bought a farm 2 ½ miles west of Marion. Here she lived with her parents until she was married and established her own home.
Mrs. Olsen attended school in a small stone school house 2 miles west of Marion, which school was a part of District No. 1. She was converted and baptized as a young woman and joined the First Christian Church of Marion.
On February 22, 1899 she was united in marriage to Nees Louis Olsen. To this union twelve children were born, all except two, of whom survive their mother. One in infancy and the other Edna, Mrs. Pete H. Klassen, preceeded her in death April 27, 1929. She shared the many duties on farm life with her husband until October, 1941, when they moved to Marion. After enjoying their home together for almost 50 years, her husband was called from the home October 27, 1947. She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and one sister.
Mother Olsen was a cheerful disposition and was a great lover of her home and could never do enough for her family. She was a wonderful mother and was always ready and willing to do her part in the community. In addition to the unusual duties of the home, she cared for her husband’s invalid mother for several years in their home and also cared for her husband’s uncle, Hans Olsen, for about two years.
Since her husband was taken from the home, Mrs. Olsen has enjoyed fairly good health and was able to care for the duties of the home until a few days before her death. She had reached the age of 71 years, 7 months and 23 days.
She is survived by seven daughters: Mable, Mrs. Ferd Matz, Hillsboro; Ida, Mrs. Steve Sandwell, and Nellie, Mrs. Edmond Amick, Marion; Florence, Mrs. George Perry, Stark City, Missouri; Esther Mae, Mrs. John H. Dwyer, Syracuse, New York; Gladys, Mrs. Roland Fenske, Lincolnville; Irene, Mrs. Paul Siebert, Amarillo, Texas; three sons, Earl, Clyde and John, Marion; 29 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; one brother, Fred, White Sulpher Springs, Montana; one sister, Mrs. Anna Smith, Boulder, Colorado; an aged uncle, Thad Penland, one hundred years old and many other relatives and friends.
Rev. Chester Burgert of the Evangelical United Brethren church, Hillsboro, conducted the funeral service at the Thompson Funeral Home Friday afternoon, April 22, at 2:00 o’clock.
A quartet composed of Jacob Siebert, Albert Bernhardt, August Junior Hett and Homer Stenzel sang two hymns. Mrs. August Junior Hett played the piano accompaniment.
Mrs. George Nelson, Mrs. William Christensen and Mrs. Floyd Siebert were the flower committee.
Casket bearers were George Nelson, Robert Nelson, Bill DuVall, Floyd Siebert, Alex Case and Louis Christensen.
Interment was in the Marion cemetery.
Obituary courtesy of Nancy Olsen Miller, Cora's granddaughter.