Alvina (Viny) Mae Olesen, 82, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
Viny was born in Presho, SD on November 1, 1938 and lived on her parent's farm outside of town with her 5 siblings. She grew up milking cows, gathering eggs, helping her mother cook and clean the house and helping her dad in the fields. At 11 years old she drove the truck following her dad in the combine. Not tall enough to see over the steering wheel, she maintained her location by watching the row lines through a hole in the floorboard. Never shying away from anything that was asked of her on the farm, she even (maybe not voluntarily) had to scrub the cistern a few times because she was the only child small enough to fit down the hole – no lie). Her dad called her Half Pint.
She graduated high school in 1956 and worked as a legal secretary in Kennebec, SD before moving to Pierre, SD to work in the state house. She married Ken Olesen of Presho on June 4, 1960 and they resided in Springfield, SD until Ken graduated from trade school. Their next move was to Valentine, NE where they had two sons and Ken worked as a diesel mechanic for Bushman Construction. They followed Ken's construction job to Cawker City, KS where they lived until settling in Grand Island, NE in 1968.
Viny was never without sports in her life. She played basketball in high school and being only 5 feet tall, she was the quickest one on the court. She played volleyball, pitched both fast- and slow-pitch softball and was a consummate bowler for over 50 years. Not one to just sit around, in addition to caring for her family and keeping an impeccable house, she held jobs that ranged from a daycare worker with special needs kids, to a tax preparer for H&R Block. Beginning in the mid-70's she worked as a teller at Fonner Park during the horse racing season and stayed with them for over 30 years before retiring to spend more time with Ken. She and Ken were a perfect match for each other. They loved gambling together (horses, dogs, basketball, football, the blackjack tables and one-armed bandits), playing cards, dancing and most importantly they genuinely loved each other and enjoyed each other's company. After Ken's passing, Viny stayed in Grand Island until 2016 when she moved to Colorado Springs to enter a memory care facility and be closer to her grandsons.
Viny is survived by her son Bret Olesen of Omaha, son Blake Olesen-Phelps, son-in-law Barry Olesen-Phelps, grandsons Andrew Olesen-Phelps and Bryan Olesen-Phelps (all of Colorado Springs), sister Irene (Swartz), brothers-in-law Roger Olesen (Grand Island), Sonny Tornow (Murdo, SD), Cliff Swartz (Cleveland, OH), Lloyd Thompson (Pierre, SD), sisters-in-law Dagmar Olesen (Pfullendorff, Germany), Sharon Dreier (Roseburg, OR), numerous nieces and nephews, and her dog Striker, whom she adored.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ken, her parents, August and Josephine (Weber) Dreier, sisters Laura (Seeley), Evelyn (Tornow), twin sister Alvena (Veny) (Thompson), brother Joe Dreier, brothers-in-law Ronald Olesen and Charles Seeley.
Viny was born in Presho, SD on November 1, 1938 and lived on her parent's farm outside of town with her 5 siblings. She grew up milking cows, gathering eggs, helping her mother cook and clean the house and helping her dad in the fields. At 11 years old she drove the truck following her dad in the combine. Not tall enough to see over the steering wheel, she maintained her location by watching the row lines through a hole in the floorboard. Never shying away from anything that was asked of her on the farm, she even (maybe not voluntarily) had to scrub the cistern a few times because she was the only child small enough to fit down the hole – no lie). Her dad called her Half Pint.
She graduated high school in 1956 and worked as a legal secretary in Kennebec, SD before moving to Pierre, SD to work in the state house. She married Ken Olesen of Presho on June 4, 1960 and they resided in Springfield, SD until Ken graduated from trade school. Their next move was to Valentine, NE where they had two sons and Ken worked as a diesel mechanic for Bushman Construction. They followed Ken's construction job to Cawker City, KS where they lived until settling in Grand Island, NE in 1968.
Viny was never without sports in her life. She played basketball in high school and being only 5 feet tall, she was the quickest one on the court. She played volleyball, pitched both fast- and slow-pitch softball and was a consummate bowler for over 50 years. Not one to just sit around, in addition to caring for her family and keeping an impeccable house, she held jobs that ranged from a daycare worker with special needs kids, to a tax preparer for H&R Block. Beginning in the mid-70's she worked as a teller at Fonner Park during the horse racing season and stayed with them for over 30 years before retiring to spend more time with Ken. She and Ken were a perfect match for each other. They loved gambling together (horses, dogs, basketball, football, the blackjack tables and one-armed bandits), playing cards, dancing and most importantly they genuinely loved each other and enjoyed each other's company. After Ken's passing, Viny stayed in Grand Island until 2016 when she moved to Colorado Springs to enter a memory care facility and be closer to her grandsons.
Viny is survived by her son Bret Olesen of Omaha, son Blake Olesen-Phelps, son-in-law Barry Olesen-Phelps, grandsons Andrew Olesen-Phelps and Bryan Olesen-Phelps (all of Colorado Springs), sister Irene (Swartz), brothers-in-law Roger Olesen (Grand Island), Sonny Tornow (Murdo, SD), Cliff Swartz (Cleveland, OH), Lloyd Thompson (Pierre, SD), sisters-in-law Dagmar Olesen (Pfullendorff, Germany), Sharon Dreier (Roseburg, OR), numerous nieces and nephews, and her dog Striker, whom she adored.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ken, her parents, August and Josephine (Weber) Dreier, sisters Laura (Seeley), Evelyn (Tornow), twin sister Alvena (Veny) (Thompson), brother Joe Dreier, brothers-in-law Ronald Olesen and Charles Seeley.
Alvina (Viny) Mae Olesen, 82, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Wednesday, November 4, 2020.
Viny was born in Presho, SD on November 1, 1938 and lived on her parent's farm outside of town with her 5 siblings. She grew up milking cows, gathering eggs, helping her mother cook and clean the house and helping her dad in the fields. At 11 years old she drove the truck following her dad in the combine. Not tall enough to see over the steering wheel, she maintained her location by watching the row lines through a hole in the floorboard. Never shying away from anything that was asked of her on the farm, she even (maybe not voluntarily) had to scrub the cistern a few times because she was the only child small enough to fit down the hole – no lie). Her dad called her Half Pint.
She graduated high school in 1956 and worked as a legal secretary in Kennebec, SD before moving to Pierre, SD to work in the state house. She married Ken Olesen of Presho on June 4, 1960 and they resided in Springfield, SD until Ken graduated from trade school. Their next move was to Valentine, NE where they had two sons and Ken worked as a diesel mechanic for Bushman Construction. They followed Ken's construction job to Cawker City, KS where they lived until settling in Grand Island, NE in 1968.
Viny was never without sports in her life. She played basketball in high school and being only 5 feet tall, she was the quickest one on the court. She played volleyball, pitched both fast- and slow-pitch softball and was a consummate bowler for over 50 years. Not one to just sit around, in addition to caring for her family and keeping an impeccable house, she held jobs that ranged from a daycare worker with special needs kids, to a tax preparer for H&R Block. Beginning in the mid-70's she worked as a teller at Fonner Park during the horse racing season and stayed with them for over 30 years before retiring to spend more time with Ken. She and Ken were a perfect match for each other. They loved gambling together (horses, dogs, basketball, football, the blackjack tables and one-armed bandits), playing cards, dancing and most importantly they genuinely loved each other and enjoyed each other's company. After Ken's passing, Viny stayed in Grand Island until 2016 when she moved to Colorado Springs to enter a memory care facility and be closer to her grandsons.
Viny is survived by her son Bret Olesen of Omaha, son Blake Olesen-Phelps, son-in-law Barry Olesen-Phelps, grandsons Andrew Olesen-Phelps and Bryan Olesen-Phelps (all of Colorado Springs), sister Irene (Swartz), brothers-in-law Roger Olesen (Grand Island), Sonny Tornow (Murdo, SD), Cliff Swartz (Cleveland, OH), Lloyd Thompson (Pierre, SD), sisters-in-law Dagmar Olesen (Pfullendorff, Germany), Sharon Dreier (Roseburg, OR), numerous nieces and nephews, and her dog Striker, whom she adored.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ken, her parents, August and Josephine (Weber) Dreier, sisters Laura (Seeley), Evelyn (Tornow), twin sister Alvena (Veny) (Thompson), brother Joe Dreier, brothers-in-law Ronald Olesen and Charles Seeley.
Viny was born in Presho, SD on November 1, 1938 and lived on her parent's farm outside of town with her 5 siblings. She grew up milking cows, gathering eggs, helping her mother cook and clean the house and helping her dad in the fields. At 11 years old she drove the truck following her dad in the combine. Not tall enough to see over the steering wheel, she maintained her location by watching the row lines through a hole in the floorboard. Never shying away from anything that was asked of her on the farm, she even (maybe not voluntarily) had to scrub the cistern a few times because she was the only child small enough to fit down the hole – no lie). Her dad called her Half Pint.
She graduated high school in 1956 and worked as a legal secretary in Kennebec, SD before moving to Pierre, SD to work in the state house. She married Ken Olesen of Presho on June 4, 1960 and they resided in Springfield, SD until Ken graduated from trade school. Their next move was to Valentine, NE where they had two sons and Ken worked as a diesel mechanic for Bushman Construction. They followed Ken's construction job to Cawker City, KS where they lived until settling in Grand Island, NE in 1968.
Viny was never without sports in her life. She played basketball in high school and being only 5 feet tall, she was the quickest one on the court. She played volleyball, pitched both fast- and slow-pitch softball and was a consummate bowler for over 50 years. Not one to just sit around, in addition to caring for her family and keeping an impeccable house, she held jobs that ranged from a daycare worker with special needs kids, to a tax preparer for H&R Block. Beginning in the mid-70's she worked as a teller at Fonner Park during the horse racing season and stayed with them for over 30 years before retiring to spend more time with Ken. She and Ken were a perfect match for each other. They loved gambling together (horses, dogs, basketball, football, the blackjack tables and one-armed bandits), playing cards, dancing and most importantly they genuinely loved each other and enjoyed each other's company. After Ken's passing, Viny stayed in Grand Island until 2016 when she moved to Colorado Springs to enter a memory care facility and be closer to her grandsons.
Viny is survived by her son Bret Olesen of Omaha, son Blake Olesen-Phelps, son-in-law Barry Olesen-Phelps, grandsons Andrew Olesen-Phelps and Bryan Olesen-Phelps (all of Colorado Springs), sister Irene (Swartz), brothers-in-law Roger Olesen (Grand Island), Sonny Tornow (Murdo, SD), Cliff Swartz (Cleveland, OH), Lloyd Thompson (Pierre, SD), sisters-in-law Dagmar Olesen (Pfullendorff, Germany), Sharon Dreier (Roseburg, OR), numerous nieces and nephews, and her dog Striker, whom she adored.
She was preceded in death by her husband Ken, her parents, August and Josephine (Weber) Dreier, sisters Laura (Seeley), Evelyn (Tornow), twin sister Alvena (Veny) (Thompson), brother Joe Dreier, brothers-in-law Ronald Olesen and Charles Seeley.
Gravesite Details
Grand Island City Cemetery.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
