C. Vernon Olson, 89, Austin

Published 10:17 am Thursday, June 20, 2013

C. Vernon “Vern” Olson, 89, of Austin, Minn., died Monday, June 17, 2013, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home.

Vernon Olson

Carl Vernon Olson was born July 30, 1923, in Lynch, Neb. The son of Clarence and Jessie (Erickson) Olson, Clarence was a farmer. Vern had one younger brother Dean who was born three months before Vern’s father was killed in a car accident.

In 1931, Vern’s mother remarried Harold Nelson and they later moved to Poplar, Wis. Vern played the trombone in the band and graduated from Beresford High School in 1941, he later went on and attended college in Grand Island, Neb.

On July 3, 1949, he married Amaryllis Schoenecke in Madison, S.D., they had met on double date. To this union two daughters were born, Debby and Becky. Amaryllis was a registered nurse and Vern was a farm machinery salesman. They moved to Austin, where Vern was a salesman with Holiday Cars.

Vern was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and the Austin Elks Club. He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Debby Ihrke; and brother and sister-in-law, Dean and Corlie Olson.

Vern is survived by his wife Amaryllis Olson; daughter and sons-in-law Becky and Rich Johnson of Gilbert, Ariz., Keith Ihrke of Clearwater, Minn.; three grandchildren, Tara Fossey (Chad) of Eagle, Idaho, Vaughn Ihrke (Kelly) of Isanti, Minn., Kelly Marvin (Nathan) of Clearwater; three great-grandchildren: Lilly Fossey, Neva Ihrke and Noah Ihrke; nephew Jeff Olson, Houston, Texas, Tom (Dede) Olson, Parker, Colo.; niece Laurie (Tom) McGrath, Poplar.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 21 at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary with the Rev. William Odermann officiating. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be at the mortuary on Friday morning for one hour before the service.