Marlis Olsen

Marlis Mae Olsen was welcomed home to heaven on Monday September 18th, 2023. She is missed dearly by: her children- Bonnie (Richard) Mueller of Hillsboro, ND, Tom (Steph) Olsen of Hillsboro, ND, Jim (Jackie) Olsen of Eden Prairie, MN, Lynette (Terry) Gust of Eden Prairie, MN, daughter in-law Kathy Olsen of Park Rapids, MN, her siblings Charles (Jean) Thielman of Fargo, ND, Allan (Carol) Thielman of Fargo, ND and John Thielman of Fargo, ND, Her 13 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and all who called her Mom or ‘Ma’. She was greeted with open arms by those who preceded her in meeting Jesus: her parents, her sisters Bev and Janice, her eldest son, Jerry Olsen , and the love of her life, Edwin (Sonny) Olsen. Without a doubt, they had a list of cleaning, baking, and Lutefisk making waiting for her. And she thought she was finally going to get to relax!

Marlis lived an ordinary life, but she impacted the world around her in extraordinary ways by how she used her roles to love others.

Marlis was a daughter and a sister. Her life started in Page, ND where she was born to Herman and Viola Thielman on their first wedding anniversary, September 12th, 1932. She was the first born of 6 children. Her childhood memories included playing in the woods and “baking” mud pies, working in the garden, picking potatoes, and lots of babysitting. She graduated from Page High School in 1950.

Marlis was a wife. She met Ed when he was a hired hand on the farm where she was cooking. As many of us have experienced, one taste of Marlis’ food and he was hooked! They were married on October 4th, 1950 and they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2020. Their family, friends, and community all look up to their example of sacrificial, simple, and steadfast marriage over the years. Against her own wishes, Marlis had to live 976 days without Ed, after he passed away in 2021 from COVID-19. She told stories of ways she felt his presence all the way to the end- even in helping her choose her last meal (chicken noodle soup and an egg salad sandwich) to be the exact same items she had fed Ed the day that he died. Finally together again, we can only imagine the joy in their reunion!

Marlis was a mother, a grandmother, great-grandmother, and an “adopted” mom to many. Her family of 5 children kept her busy as a parent and homemaker. She ran a tight ship, but her kids always knew what hard work looked like and what it meant to give back to others. Even as adults, they continued to benefit from her wisdom and passed it on when raising their own kids and grandkids. Her grandkids cherish memories of being chased by grandma as they rode bicycles through her dining room, and her great grandkids looked forward to searching for Easter eggs in the Olsen Hardware store each year.

Marlis was a worker. To-do lists didn’t stand a chance, and “Marlis, sit down!” was a frequently heard command. Her first job was at the age of 14. She made $4/week babysitting for the 3 children at The Thompson farm and cooking for their 16 hired men after the cook quit. In marriage, she served as the backbone of Ed’s endeavors, working as the bookkeeper, greeter, and helper when he managed the Farmer’s Union in Erie and Hillsboro and supporting the family business when Olsen Hardware opened in 1969. More than 50 years later, the corner shop is a hallmark of downtown Hillsboro, and Marlis’s touch can still be seen in the feather duster painted walls and the unmatched service you’ll receive. In her “retirement”, Marlis kept busy volunteering at the nursing home (did she know that most of the residents were younger than her?). With complete confidence, we know that Marlis heard: “Well done my good and faithful servant”, and we hope that she has finally accepted a time to rest…but if not, we hope she hears us. “Grandma Marlis, please sit down!”

Marlis was a gatherer. Her baking, cooking, and hosting abilities were the hallmark of family holidays, Friday fish fries, and countless other parties and community events. Marlis’ door was always open, literally and figuratively. Her living room was rarely empty and her phone line was always busy with someone looking for a listening ear, a kind word, or a fresh baked treat always waiting on the kitchen counter. We can finally start our diets now that Marlis is gone, because you just couldn’t say no to one more of her homemade caramels or apple bars. While we’ve all used the church cookbook to follow her recipes to a T, it still just doesn’t taste as good as when Marlis made it. It may have been her “I’ll just eyeball it” strategy of measuring butter, cream, and sugar ☺

Marlis was a model citizen. The city of Hillsboro is an exponentially better place to live and raise a family because of her influence. Her “fingerprints” from years of volunteering and support will be seen in the Hillsboro schools and athletics, the park district, the nursing home, and Our Saviors Lutheran Church for generations to come. She was so proud to call Hillsboro home for 60 years and will surely be looking down over the 1,600 residents of that 1.1 square mile town, sending good weather to the farmers, good luck to the athletes, and prayers and blessings for all who live and work there.

Marlis IS a child of God. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Page, ND and was a member of the church of the same name in Hillsboro for 60 years. She was involved in Women’s and Children’s Ministry and served countless buns with “funeral spread”, pots of coffee, and pancake breakfasts over her years. The 8th pew on the left won’t look quite right without Marlis and Ed in the first two seats, and there will be one missing viewer of the 6 hours of live-stream church every Sunday. Yet, there is an all-encompassing sense of peace knowing she is worshiping with the angels and sitting at the foot of her Savior, Jesus. Marlis’ faith was unwavering and carried her through the ups and downs of over 60 years of parenting, 70 years of marriage, and 91 years of life. When Marlis was asked what one thing she would like you to remember as her legacy – she said: “Make faith, family, and friends your priority” …. And, of course, you can never have too much butter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Ed Olsen Memorial Recreation Fund for our area youth.