Laura O. Olson, 82, formerly of 418 Marston Avenue, died Saturday, October 19, 2002 at Syverson Lutheran Home. She was born in Eau Claire on May 23, 1920, the daughter of Olaf and Kristiana (Hugdal) Hanson.She was baptized and confirmed at First Lutheran Church.\r\nLaura lived almost her entire life in Eau Claire. She graduated from Eau Claire High School in 1939 and married Dr. Vernon G. Olson in Alexandria, LA, on February 21, 1942. Because they married a day before Vernon's birthday, he liked to say she was his birthday present.\r\nWhile Vernon fought in the South Pacific in World War II, Laura manufactured bomb parts at the Presto Cooker plant in Eau Claire. She saved the money she earned to help start a family once the war was over.\r\nThe war ended soon for the couple when Vernon was seriously wounded and sent home. But he survived and Laura helped him study in Chicago to become an optometrist while raising their first-born son, Thomas.\r\nThough the war finally ended, its effects lasted; Laura would occasionally have to nurse her husband through lingering and recurring health problems left over from his war injury. She did so without ever complaining about the burden. And she always remained a faithful and loyal wife.\r\nAs a mother of four children, she attended basketball games and Little League, was a chauffeur and helped bait hooks. She made sure her kids went to school and Sunday school, and she was a stay-at-home mom who always provided a secure presence for her family.\r\nIn 1973, the death of son Steven in a car-train accident left her devastated. She never truly got over it, but she persevered. She was an avid bowler, loved to sing, and was a member of Grace Lutheran Church, the Elks, the American Legion Auxiliary, and is a past-president of the VFW Auxiliary at Post 305.\r\nShe loved to bake cookies, and she loved Christmas, which she worked hard to make a special holiday for the family. And as she was always fond of telling people, when she was 17, she worked as a waitress at Walgreens.\r\nShe is survived by three sons, Thomas V. of Eau Claire, Jon R. (Nadine) of Eleva and William D.S. of Eau Claire; four grandchildren, Chad T., Talia N., Kristine C. and Matthew J.; a great-grandson, Vance Anthony Emerson; a sister Emma Herrick of Madison; and nieces and nephews.\r\nShe was preceded in death by her husband in 1995; a son Steven A.; grandson, Travis A.; four brothers, Conwal, Raymond, Sigurd and Glenn Hanson; two sisters, Alfield Stanley and Violet Dean; four brothers-in-law, G. Sherman, John C., H. Robert and David W. Olson; and two sisters-in-law Lenore Gunn and Carol F. Erickson.\r\nFuneral Services will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, October 23, 2002, at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastor Andrew Boe officiating. Burial will be in Lakeview Cemetery. Friends and family may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Lenmark-Gomsrud-Linn Funeral Home and an hour prior to services Wednesday at the church.

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