Arno Olson

Arno M. Olson, 97, of rural Garner, Iowa, entered his heavenly home on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 at Iowa City Mercy Hospital Hospice Care surrounded by his loving wife and family.

  Funeral services will be held 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 19, at Faith Lutheran Church in Miller, Iowa, with Rose Visser, lay pastor officiating.  Burial will be in Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church.

  Memorials may be directed to Faith Lutheran Church in Miller.  

  Arno Mervin Olson, the son of Louis and Emma (Anderson) Olson, was born at his family home northeast of Garner on Oct. 4, 1915.   He attended Ellington #8 Township School in Hancock County and graduated from Garner High School in 1939.  Arno learned at a young age about the value of hard work on the farm.  Arno’s life was full as he worked with his father on the family farm and took over full operation in 1968.  His love of the land and animals encouraged him to be a lifelong farmer.  On Nov. 28, 1943 he married Alma Joanne Rogness at Faith Lutheran Church in Miller.    Arno and Alma’s marriage of 69 years was blessed with five children, Billy Lee, Karen Jane, Janet Ann, Sandra Kaye and Barbara Joan.  Arno’s farming was not just a career, but a way of life from hitching up the horses to driving combines with computers.  He knew well the definition of determination and hard work.  His creativity and innovation proved successful in his work which involved crops, purebred Duroc boars, cattle, horses and fixing everything that was broken.  He loved driving his truck while hauling anything from grain, livestock, and furniture, to apples, kids on a hayride and other requests. Arno was interested in progress concerning his community.  He enjoyed leadership roles such as being president of the Miller Telephone Company for 38 years, church council and activities at Ellington Prairie and Faith Lutheran Churches, 4-H Club Leader, ASCS (40 years), Ventura State Bank Board of Directors and VP, Forest City Cow Palace (clerk for 50 years), and Ellington Township Clerk for many years. Music was a favorite activity throughout his life from playing his violin to dancing to big band and polka music with Alma at the Surf Ballroom.  Piloting a Piper Cub was a highlight of his life.

Memories of Arno live on in the hearts of his wife, Alma, of Iowa City; his five children, son, Billy (Janeil) Olson of Garner and their four children, Tracy Seng, David (Aleigha) Olson, RaeLea (John) Saxton, and Russell (Jennifer) Olson; daughter, Karen (John) Arthur of Coralville and their four children, Rodney (Stacey) Arthur, Christopher (Jimena) Arthur, Damon (Kelly) Arthur, and Kjersten (Nicholas) Koenigs; daughter, Janet (Stanley) White of Iowa City and their three children, Betsy (Matthew) Platt, Rachel White, and  Nathan White; daughter, Sandra (Craig) Molander of St. Charles, Mo., and their three children, Bradley (Martha) Molander, Lindsey Molander, and Kelsey (Scott) Hulett; daughter, Barbara (Scott) Harvey of Rosemount, Minn., and their two children, Erin Harvey and Kristen Harvey; eleven great-grandchildren, Dalton and Taylor Seng, Heidi Miller, Mahlynn Olson, Eilif Arthur, Caleb, Adelyn, Asher and Stella Platt, Clare and Alma Molander; brother-in-law, Martin (Miriam) Rogness of Forest City; sister-in-law, Marie Jordahl of Enid, Okla.; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

  Arno was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Emma Olson; his sisters and their husbands, Marian (Sherwood) Pitkin and Bernice (Norman) Anderson; his brother and wife, Milo (Hulda) Olson, and his brother, Norman Olson; and brothers and sisters-in-law, Thelma (Harvey) Mitchell, Lester (Phyllis) Rogness, Emmet (Evelyn) Rogness, and Burnell Jordahl.  Cataldo Funeral Home, Garner, was in charge of arrangements.