Ruth Sophia Olson |
| Posted 2007-12-02 by Judy Wight Branson |
| The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, November 28, 2007 Ruth Sophia Olson, 98 years old, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Nov. 20, 2007. Ruth was born in Fargo, N.D., Nov. 15, 1909, during a blizzard. The doctor who delivered her was forced to get out of his buggy and lead his horse through the deepening snow to her parents' house - "he almost didn't make it." In 1916, they moved to Great Falls, Mont. Several years later, Ruth and her older sister and their parents moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. An outbreak of Scarlet Fever took her sister. Ruth survived, but carried the effect of it the rest of her life. Several years later, a move to Norway, where her parents had originally immigrated from, took place. From that time until her return to the United States as a young lady, she was raised on the family dairy farm. She finished school and graduated from a two-year business college in Bergen. Ruth met her husband-to-be, Erik Olson, in New York City. They married and had one child, Roy. Toward the close of the Second World War, Erik, a steelworker for the New York City Railroad, took a part-time job working nights in the huge Bethlehem steel naval shipyards. The nights that Erik was able to stay home and care for Roy, Ruth took a job in a factory packing parachutes for the war effort. In the 1950s, Ruth went back to work putting to good use her education in business as a translator (Norwegian, Swedish and Danish) for Ship Owners Claim Bureau, the largest insurer of merchant sea vessels in the world. Upon retirement, Ruth and Erik moved to Prescott, where they could be closer to their son and his family. They lived on Plaza Drive from 1972 until health issues overcame them and extended care became needed. Ruth loved to crochet, making gloves for Christmas. She spent many hours with Erik in their yard keeping each plant looking beautiful while Erik worked at building rock walls. She loved to have patio parties with family and friends. Ruth also enjoyed the pottery class she took at Yavapai College. One of the family's fondest memories was Ruth singing "Silent Night" in Norwegian at Christmas. Her personal relationship with our Lord and Savior was of cherished value to her, as was her relationship with her family. Ruth was preceded in death by her husband Erik of 60 years, her parents and five sisters. Ruth is survived by her son Roy Olson of Seligman; grandson Scott Olson, wife Kim and sons Erik and Ethan of Phoenix; and granddaughter Carrie Osborn, husband Mark, son Ryan and daughter Alyssa of Chino Valley, Ariz. A celebration service of Ruth's life will be 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home on the corner of Carleton and Cortez in Prescott. Information provided by survivors. |
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