Fern Olson

Fern Mae Olson, 90, died Friday, September 13, 2013 at Four Corners Health Care Center in Durango, Colorado. A Funeral Service will be Thursday, September 19, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. at Hood Mortuary Chapel. Pastor Reitz of Frontier Baptist Church will be officiating. Burial will occur at Greenmount Cemetery in Durango. Visitation will be held also at Hood Mortuary Chapel on Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Mrs. Olson was born May 27, 1923 in Maywood, Nebraska the daughter of James and Anna Vesper. Fern moved from Nebraska to Colorado at a very young age. She attended school also in Colorado and graduated from Durango High School. She also attended old Fort Lewis when it was located near Hesperus. She then met and married the love of her life, Lyle Olson and together, they ranched and grew wheat in the Oxford area. While at home raising children, Fern enjoyed cooking. She also liked to travel (Alaska, Carlsbad Caverns and California to name a few) and gamble at the local casino. She watched "Jeopardy" and "Wheel of Fortune" on a daily basis. And when she wasn't enjoying the line dancing at the nursing home, she tried to be a great escape artist and would get out of her wheelchair and turn the alarms off at the nursing home. "She was very ornery and funny at the same time," recall her family. Her family was a very important part of her life weather it was her children, siblings, nieces and nephews, she loved them all and loved being around them. She is survived by Chris Olson of Layton, Utah, Mary Jo Wagner of Denver, CO, two granddaughters, one grandson, Russell Vesper (brother) of Lordsburg, NM, and several nieces, nephews and other extended family members. She was preceded in death by her husband Lyle Olson and her sons: Norman Olson, Charles Olson and Lynn Olson.