Thelma Olstad

Thelma Olstad April 10, 1920 - February 22, 2012

Thelma L. Olstad, age 91 of Janesville, died suddenly on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 as she was receiving emergency medical care near Eagle Lake, Minnesota. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, February 25th at 10:00 a.m. at the Janesville United Methodist Church in Janesville with the Reverend Bescye P. Burnett, officiating. Interment will be in Faribault''s Meadow Ridge Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Janesville, and will continue on Saturday morning for one hour prior to services, at church. Thelma Lucille was born on April 10, 1920 to Albert and Cliola (Bevington) Purdy in Madison, Minnesota. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Lake City, Minnesota in 1938, and went on to attend Minneapolis Business College. Thelma was employed by the F.H. Peavey Company in Minneapolis until her marriage to Vernon H. Olstad on December 19, 1942. Thelma and Vernon moved to Janesville in 1947. Thelma was a long time member of the Janesville United Methodist Church where she served as trustee, and member of the Building Committees for both the church and parsonage. She enjoyed reading, traveling, and volunteering her time for her church and Home Delivered Meals. She is survived by her four children, Julie Erdman of Janesville, Holly Ristau of Mahnomen, Ken (Maureen) Olstad of Burnsville, and Jim Olstad of Janesville; by her five grandchildren, Jason (Rita) Erdman, Lisa (Josh) Melchior, Casey Wytaske, McKenzie (Grant) Merges, and Collin Olstad; by her four great grandchildren, Taya, Ty, Jaelyn, and Evan; by her brother-in-law Lyle (June) Olstad of Faribault. She was preceded in death by her parents; by her husband Vernon on October 20, 2005; by her brother and two sisters, and her son- in-law, Richard Erdman.