Bonnie Earlene Olson Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Funeral services for Bonnie Olson age 85 of Bartlett were 10:30 Thursday, October 14,2010 at the Bartlett United Methodist Church with Pastor Delano Cunningham, Officiating. Music was provided by her grand children and Eudeen Nichols, Pianist. Burial was in the Bartlett Cemetery. Pallbearers were Monte Snider, Chip Gibbs, Rick Smith, Ed Uecker, Paul Nordhues, and Doug Nichols. Visitation was from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at The United Methodist Church in Bartlett. Bonnie passed away on Sunday, October 10, 2010 in Norfolk. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Snider Memorial Funeral Home, Elgin. Bonnie Earlene (Gibbs) Olson was born November 18, 1924 in Sioux City, Iowa the daughter of F. Byron and Geneva (Tague) Gibbs. She grew up in Ponca, Nebraska and graduated from Ponca High School with the class of 1942. She was very accomplished on the saxophone and after graduation she played throughout the United States with Jane Griffith and her All Girl Orchestra. She attended Business College in Sioux City and then worked for Dixon County Judge Ehle for six years. She then moved to Omaha and worked for Watson Brothers Trucking until her marriage. Bonnie was united in marriage to Warren Olson on October 22, 1950 in Ponca. The couple made their home on a ranch in the Beaver Valley in Wheeler County. She continued to live there after Warren’s passing in 2007, keeping the ranch books, cooking for the many brandings, and making endless lists of things needed to be done. She came to faith in Jesus Christ as a young adult and served the Lord the rest of her life. After her marriage she joined the United Methodist Church in Bartlett. She served faithfully there until her death, serving in many capacities. She was also an amazing mother and saw to it that her kids did things that were good for them. Bonnie had a variety of other interests including reading, crossword puzzles, genealogy and compiling family stories. She was a big Husker football and volleyball fan. She also strongly supported the Wheeler Central Broncos and she was always ready to coach her kids and grandkids. Her interest in history led her to compile a history of the Headquarters stone house, located in the Beaver Valley. She delighted in giving tours of the home, explaining its historical value. In addition, she belonged to the Wheeler County Community Band, Beaver Valley Women’s Club, United Methodist Women, and Farm Bureau. Survivors include four children and their families: Sibyl and her husband Randy Spahn of Norfolk, NE and their children, Katie and her husband Michael Fagan of Omaha and Tyler of Lincoln; John and his wife Chris Olson and their son Tanner of Bartlett; Sally and her husband Ken Jennings and their children Taylor and Larissa all of Langdon, ND; Mark and his wife Sally Jo Olson and their children Jill, Sam and Scott all of Milford, NE; one brother, BJ and his wife Irena Gibbs of Ponca, NE. She was preceded in death by her husband Warren; her parents; three brothers, Wendell, Harold and Orin; and one sister Wanda. She was a very good skater, could skate backwards and had her own skates she carried in a metal case. And, she was a good speller.

Bonnie Earlene Olson

November 18, 1924 - October 10, 2010