Viola Olness

Viola Olness, age 89, from McIntosh, and formerly from Clearbrook, MN passed away on Sunday, April 1st at McIntosh Senior Living in McIntosh. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, April 7th at 4:00 PM at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in McIntosh with Marilyn Malmanger and Pastor Ryan Rasmussen officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 6th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home in Fosston, MN. Interment will be at Nora Cemetery, rural Bagley, MN, and the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Fosston is in charge of the arrangements. Messages of condolence may be sent at www.carlinhoialmen.com.Viola Iriene Johnson was born on March 23, 1923 in Alvarado, MN to Frederica Mildred Valerie (DeGrosselier) and Hjalmer Oscar Johnson.Viola attended school in Vega Township near Alvarado. She worked in the sugar beet fields, at the Bagley hotel, and for the WAC during WWII before marrying Gorde Olness on June 16, 1943.Viola farmed along side of her husband on a farm near Alida, MN for several years. In 1956 they bought a farm north of Gonvick, MN where they worked the land and raised nine children. In 1966 she moved to Leon Township outside of Clearbrook, MN where she lived until 2004 when she moved to McIntosh, MN. For the past two and a half years she was a resident of McIntosh Senior Living.Viola enjoyed embroidering, photography, bingo, making quilts, playing cards, gardening- especially flowers, and in the later years mowing her lawn and watching deer and wildlife. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren and is kindly remembered as saying, "Be good for Grandma".On Sunday, April 1, 2012 Viola passed away at McIntosh Senior Living in McIntosh at the age of 89 years.Viola is survived by her nine children, Shirley Delage of McIntosh, Josephine Kelly of Clearbrook, John (Sherry) Olness of Superior, WI, Gorde (Rita) Olness of Cloquet, MN, Lueman (Roselie) Olness of Andover, MN, Viola (David) Myklejord of Fosston, MN, June (Larry) Rinkenberger of Palmdale, CA, Gloria Olness of Bagley, MN, and Mary Lou Slininger of Duluth, MN; sisters, Levina Brosdahl of Warren, MN, and Gloria Capucille of Escondido, CA; brother, Maynard Johnson of San Bernadino, CA; 23 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.She was preceded in death by her parents Frederica Mildred and Hjalmer Johnson; husband Gorde Olness in 1985; one infant son, Gary Olness; sisters, Charlotte Johnson and Helma Larson, infant twin sisters, Lilly and Lillian, Viola's twin sister, Violet; brother, Melvin Johnson, and infant brother, Hilmer Johnson (tiwn of Helma).Blessed be her memory