Esther Ruth Olson

Services for Esther Olson are pending. Please check our website for more information as it becomes available.


Esther Ruth Sackman Olson, 93, passed away on October 2, 2015, at Villa St. Francis in Olathe, Kansas with her daughter, Donna M. (Jasperson) Bedient at her side. Esther was born on July 18, 1922, to Gottlieb and Katherine (Stickel) Sackman on the family farm located on Fallon flat northeast of Fallon, Montana.


Esther received her early education through the eighth grade at the Sackman country school while helping on the farm. She would often speak of her chores on the farm, including riding the "header-box" while harvesting. Cooking in the summer kitchen and feeding the thrashing crews was a big event in the harvest season. When she was seventeen (17) she left the family farm and moved into Terry, Montana, where she worked in the hospital until 1942 when she moved to Helena, Montana. There she worked in Cooper's ice cream factory and attended Helena Business School. It was at the ice cream factory that she met Dale Jasperson. They were married in early 1945. Two (2) children were born from the union - Don Jasperson and Donna Jasperson (Bedient). The marriage ended in divorce in late 1949 and Esther returned to Terry where she worked at Young's Bar and Cafe.


On December 1, 1950, she married Orrin G. Olson and they made their home in Terry and purchased a home on the corner of Adams Avenue and Yellowstone Street. In 1957, a son, Daryl D. Olson was born.


Esther was hired by the Prairie County Assessor as his deputy in 1951 and began her long career in the Assessor's Office. Esther would often speak of her deep appreciation to George Taylor for giving her a chance to use her skills in serving the people of Prairie County. She worked in the Assessor's Office for 23 years serving two terms as County Assessor and the remaining time as Deputy Assessor.


In 1974 she, Orrin and Daryl moved to Shelby, Montana where Orrin was employed in the construction trade. Esther quickly obtained a job in the Toole County Assessor's Office where she worked for nine (9) years until 1983 when she and Orrin retired and moved to Portland, OR to be near her daughter and family. After living in the Portland area for a couple of years, she and Orrin settled in Roseburg, OR for the next twenty (20) years to enjoy their retirement. In 2005, following Orrin's failing health, she and Orrin moved to Lenexa, KS to be near her daughter and husband, who provided care and assistance until Esther's death.


Esther had a strong faith in Christ and was involved in various capacities including serving as a Sunday School Teacher in her local church where ever she lived. She was a Charter member of the Terry Wesleyan Church. You could often hear her playing the piano and singing the old hymns at the church. (She could never make the transition to the contemporary Christian music, however.)


Esther loved embroidery and crocheting. Many of her pieces adorn the walls of friends and family for whom they were made.


She and Orrin loved her grandchildren and many summers were spent entertaining them and playing games until late in the evening.


Esther was proceeded in death by her husband, Orrin G. Olson, her parents; Gottlieb and Katherine Sackman; a sister, Ruby Wahl of Lind, WA; a brother, Isidor Sackman of Sydney, MT; grandchildren, Tamara (Jasperson) Trippe and Jessica Olson, and a great grandson, Wade Autenreith, Jr..


Survivors include two sons; Daryl D. Olson, Spring, TX and Donald D. Jasperson, McCall, ID; a daughter, Donna M. (Jasperson) Bedient, Lenexa, KS; a sister, Rachel Meredith, Flagstaff, AZ; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.