Joan Eva Olson

JOAN EVA OLSON

was born to Arthur and Margaret (Jepsen) Weinkauf on February 3, 1932 in Pipestone, Minnesota, where she grew up and attended school. She married Carl Lee Olson on July 15, 1950 in Pipestone. They farmed in the Flandreau area until 1963 when they moved to Rancho Santa Fe, California, where Lee worked on a large dairy.

After Lee retired in 1986, they moved to Escondido, CA where Joan worked as a cake decorator at Baskin Robbins Ice Cream Shop for several years. She also opened her home and heart to 23 foster children over the years and had been awarded Foster Mother of the Year. Joan moved back to Pipestone in May of 2013 and lived there until the Lord called her home.

Joan is survived by her six children: Randy (Roxie) Olson of Redfield, SD, Peggi (Scott) Swafford of Escondido, CA, Scott (JoJo) Olson of Sioux Falls, SD, Lori Robertson of Escondido, CA, Judi (Robert) Messier of Escondido, CA and Lisa Olson of Pipestone, MN. Her heart was so big and full of so much love that she welcomed seven more children to her family: Tony of Las Vegas, NV, Dustan (Sue) of Escondido, CA, Donavan, Dillon (Brittani) and Daniel of Pipestone, MN, Jonny and Kayla of San Diego, CA. Joan also had 20 grandchildren: Josh, Brandon, Malynda, Monica, Tyler, Nick, Miles, Tanisha, Melissa, Mariah, Gavin, Leah, Kaia, Samantha, Nicholas, Vanessa, Kora, Taylor, Cooper, and Christopher; 11 great grandchildren: Noah, Seth, Madysen, Wyatt, Mason, Elissa, Kaden, Kaydence, Camden, Rylee and Orion; two brothers: Roger Weinkauf of Hillsboro, OR and James (Jan) Weinkauf of Souix Falls, SD; and two sisters: Margaret (Marvin) Gonnerman of Luverne, MN and Jeanette Laesecke of East Chicago, IN.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee; her parents, Arthur and Margaret Weinkauf; brothers: Ed, Stanley, Arthur, and Duane Weinkauf; and sisters: Mary Lou Jimenez, Maxine Evans, Marjorie Heinz and Esther Lee.