Dorothy Olson age 92, of Mitchell, died Sunday September 14, 2008 at Firesteel Healthcare Center. Funeral services will be Thursday 2:00 PM at the Will Funeral Chapel. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 PM Wednesday at the Will Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery.
Dorothy was born April 4, 1916 at Avon, SD to Edward and Etta (Johnson) Brownfield. She moved with her family to Ethan and attended Ethan public school and graduated from Ethan High School. At an early age she showed interest in taking violin lessons and in the early 30s as a young teen she entered numerous contests in South Dakota. After high school in the mid 1930s she attended The McPhail Center for the Arts in Minneapolis and for a period of time formed an all women band called Dot and Her Dashes.
On July 3, 1937 she married Delmar Olson in Mitchell where they made their home. In 1943 they moved to Omaha, NE for a couple of years and then moved back to Mitchell to make their permanent home to raise their children. Dorothy was a member of First Lutheran Church and many community organizations which she was very active.
Dorothys membership and participation in music organizations included, Mitchell Community Orchestra, Civic Music Assoc., Monday Musical, and was asked and accepted as one of the lead violinist in the Sioux Falls Symphony Orchestra. She attained a Piano Tuners License in the 70s and was a member of the Piano Tuners of America Assoc.
Grateful for sharing her life are her children Deede and husband Shap Woolfolk of Manhatten, KS and Don Olson of Fridley, MN; two grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Preceded in death by her husband Delmar in 1997 and two brothers Eugene and Myron.