Jeanne L. Olhausen, 92, Hartley

A memorial service for Jeanne L. Olhausen was held Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hartley. Pastor Chris Nitzel officiated. Interment was in Roseland Cemetery at Sanborn. Hartley Funeral Home assisted with the arrangements.

Jeanne Lavonne (Post) Geerdes Olhausen was born Nov. 20, 1929, at Middleburg in Sioux County, at the home of her parents, Gerrit and Kate (Van Ort) Post. She attended country school near Hartley through the elementary grades and graduated from Hartley High School in 1947, the first of her family to do so. She was very active in high school, participating in sports and girls’ glee club, with her passion being music. She particularly enjoyed singing as a soloist and in small groups. Highlights from school included representing her class as the 1947 Homecoming Queen and being asked by her vocal instructor, Miss Brunswald-Ott, to sing at her teacher’s wedding.

While at a local 4-H event, Jeanne would meet her future husband, Ron Geerdes. They were joined in marriage on Dec. 30, 1947, at the First Reformed Church in Sanborn. Together they enjoyed dancing, singing, fishing and watching baseball. Five children would eventually complete their family. Ron was engaged in farming near Hartley until 1967 when the family moved to Sanborn. He and Jeanne purchased Bowl-Mor Lanes which they operated until Ron’s passing in 1980. Jeanne remarried a school classmate, Marvin Olhausen from Hartley. They spent many hours together in their RV traveling across the country visiting friends and family until Marv’s death in 2019. Jeanne continued to live in Hartley where she had volunteered for many, many years at Community Memorial Health Center, singing, playing cards and assisting with activities. Memberships in the American Legion Auxiliary, TIM Club and Health Center Auxiliary gave her a chance to visit and be with friends.

Jeanne had always been an active member of her churches, St. Paul’s Lutheran in Hartley and St. John’s Lutheran at Sanborn. She contributed at each church through the Ladies Aid by holding offices and sitting on committees. She had also been involved with LWML and attended various meetings and conferences.

Because of her outgoing nature, Jeanne rarely found life to be dull or boring. Her day usually began with a cup of coffee while tuning her radio to KICD’s longest-running game show, “Quiz-Biz.” She faithfully listened to the daily questions and recorded their answers. Church activities, playing cards with friends, watching Twins baseball games and tending her plants filled her days. When she was younger she loved singing and dancing, bowling and fishing (and maybe a Nutty Bar or two). Recently, Jeanne was entertained by simply observing life as it happened outside her window. She took note of all the birds and flowers, and never missed a chance to ride through the countryside and see what was new in her communities. Of course, enjoying “half-a-beer” at the end of the tour brought forth her beautiful dimples and bright smile.

Jeanne passed from this life on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, at the age of 92 years. She is survived by four daughters: Ronda (Wayne) Parrish, of Seneca, S.C.; Judy Kuskie, of Hartley; Karen Sanders, of Tulsa, Okla.; and Marla (Tom) Minear, of McClelland; one son, Dean Geerdes, of Tulsa, Okla.; three stepchildren: Tom, Jerri and Joni Olhausen, and their families; 23 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, John (Evelyn) Post; sisters: Irma Jacobsma and Glenda (Dean) Schroeder; and sister-in-law, Penny Post.