Viking - James Olson, 57, died Thursday, June 1, 2000 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, N.D.
Funeral services
were held at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, at 
Westaker Free
Lutheran Church in Newfolden with Rev. LeRoy Flickinger officiating.
Orpha Schaffhauser was the organist, and a duet was presented by
Virgil and Marville Hjelle. Also presenting a musical selection was
the vocal quartet of Arlynn Tunheim, Newell Berggren, Reuben Haugen
and Gary Hodne. Kathy Rokke was the reader. Casketbearers were Ken
Arndt, Jay Backstrom, Irwin Underbakke, Vernon Bengtson, David
Lokstad, Hilton Hjelle, John Bjorsness and Albert Kezar. Burial was
in Bjorsness Cemetery in Marsh Grove township of Marshall county. The
Green Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
James Oliver Olson was born on January 26, 1943 in Marsh Grove township of Marshall county, the son of John and Minnie (Haugen) Olson. He attended school in Holt and Newfolden and farmed with his dad on the family farm in Marsh Grove township. In 1959, he began working for farmers in the Argyle and Stephen areas. During the 1960s he worked at Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls, and from 1968 until 1998 managed his own farming operation.
During the winter of 1975-76, Jim attended the Association Free Lutheran Bible School in Minneapolis. He met his future wife, Marjorie Benson, there, and the couple married on the school's campus on June 19, 1976. In the past few years, Jim worked for Lokstad Products in Newfolden and at the time of his death at Backstrom Farms of Warren.
He was a member of Westaker Free Lutheran Church where he formerly served on the church council.
He enjoyed playing the guitar and restoring antique farm equipment and vehicles with his son, Michael.
Jim is survived by his wife, Marjorie of Viking; one son, Michael of Viking; three sisters, Mildred (Roland) Young of Grand Forks, N.D., Mavis Haglund of West Valley City, Utah and Janice (Willis) Grochow of Warren; one brother, Jerry (Darlene) Olson of Newfolden; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Alden and Vera Benson of Colfax, Wisc.; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one nephew and several cousins, aunts and uncles.
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