Marcella Olson
Marcella Kathleen Olson, age 73, of Sentinel Butte, N.D., passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at home.
Marcella Kathleen (Koch) Olson was born Jan. 9, 1947, to Andrew and Christine (Hecker) Koch in Dickinson, N.D. She was the 10th of 16 children whom were raised north of Belfield, N.D. She attended school in Belfield and graduated in 1966. Following high school, she worked for the Gold Seal Company at a cafe (the current Roughrider Hotel restaurant) in Medora, N.D. There she met the love of her life, Jimmie Lee Olson! On May 3, 1968, she married Jimmie at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Belfield and from this union they had three sons.
They resided in Medora until 1974 and then they moved to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Watford City, N.D., until the winter of 2004. She worked for approximately 22 years at the Good Shepherd Nursing home in Watford City and retired in 2002. After Jim’s retirement from the park service they moved to the Olson family farm near Sentinel Butte in 2005, where they settled in and became extremely active grandparents following their grandkids to their various ballgames and concerts.
Marcella is known for her amazing cooking, gardening, and quilting skills. She loved to bird watch and take care of her various animals (chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, horses and a donkey). Her quiet demeanor and quick wit often comforted those when needed or made them laugh until they cried.
When Marcella wasn’t quilting or working in the kitchen, you would find her with her nose in a book or reading on her iPad. Faith was what her life was built around. She was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church, and loved her “church hour” helping with Adoration time.
As a devout Catholic, she shared her love of the Lord by raising her children in her faith and enjoyed fellowship with her family and friends.
Marcella is preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Christine Koch; her mother-in-law, Anna (Johnson) Olson; her father-in-law, Edward Olson; her brother, Arnold Koch; her sister, Clara (Koch) Dowhaniuk and numerous in-laws.
Marcella is survived by her husband, Jimmie; her sons, Shawn (Beth) Olson of Dickinson, N.D., Jay (Tiffany) Olson, of Arnegard, N.D., and Jesse (Bobbie) Olson of South Heart, N.D.; her grandchildren, Kylie (Zach) Krivoruchka, Brady Olson, Tiana Olson, Addison Olson, Teegan Olson, Cole Olson, Rylann Olson, Bailey Olson, Tessa Olson, and Shay Olson; her great-grandchild, Evelyn Bruns; her siblings, Lorraine Perry, Wilbert “Willie” Koch, Margaret “Margie” Millin, Andrew (Carole) Koch Jr., Anna West, Paulette (Lynn) Engelhorn, Paul (Louise) Koch, Judith (Bernard) Palahniuk, Robert (Connie) Koch, Cynthia (Maurice) Elhart, Nora (Dennis) Molm, Faye Turner and Thomas (Amy) Koch.
Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silhafuneralhomes.com.
A Virgil Service was held on Sunday, March 1, 2020, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Beach. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, March 2, 2020, at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Belfield. Rite of Committal was held on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery in Mandan, N.D.
Silha Funeral Home of Beach has been entrusted with the arrangements.