JANNABELLE L. “JAN” OLSON

JANNABELLE L. “JAN” OLSON

Jannabelle L. “Jan” Olson, 89, of Fort Dodge, died Mon­day, April 3, 2023, at the Paula J. Baber Hospice Home.

A service honoring Jan’s life will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 8, at Tompkins Celebration Center, Friendship Haven, with the Rev. Jennifer Osheim-Owen officiating. Interment services will follow a reception at Friendship Haven. The visitation is from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Friday at Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

Jan is survived by her children, Robert (Kim) Olson Jr., Indiana; Kathryn (Ken) Tegels, Atlantic; her daughter-in-law Dana Olson; grandchildren, Erik (Lindsey) Olson and Beckie (Brian) Christiansen; six great-grandchildren, her brother-in-law Bernard Olson; and other family members. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Robert Sr., a son Steven, a brother Leo, and a brother-in-law Russ.

Jannabelle Lydia Herbst, the daughter of John and Lydia (Wacker) Herbst, was born May 31, 1933, in Norfolk, Nebraska. She moved to Iowa and worked for a short time as a telephone operator. On May 23, 1954, Jan was united in marriage to Robert Olson in Rockwell City. She was a homemaker and took great pride in being a mother.

Jan enjoyed knitting, puzzles, reading, walking, bowling and playing cards. During retirement, Jan and Bob took many trips overseas and on bus tours and made many dear friends over the years. This led to coffee groups at Tom Thumb Restaurant. Being a mother was her calling. Jan and Bob attended the events of their children and they saw to it that their kids received a college education. She enjoyed family fishing and camping trips to many places including Canada. She also cared for her mother after her father had died.