Lafayette lady turns 100 today

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

LAFAYETTE -- Listening to the radio, particularly "Lunch with the Governor," Friday mornings on WCCO are among the things that keep Selma Olson going.

She doesn't see or hear as well as she used to, but listening to the radio is among her favorite things at Lafayette Good Samaritan Assisted Living.

Olson turned 100 today at Lafayette Assisted Living. She'll enjoy the day with her family and friends. Her younger sister Mabel Nelson lives across the street and visits her daily.

Friday, her nephew Bernard Klingler and his wife Carol of Tulsa, Okla. visited her with Mabel and brought a gift that put a smile on her face -- a custom-made quilt with family photos dating back more than a century.

Klingler and his wife made the quilt with small, family photos that were scanned, enlarged and printed on material that became the quilt.

Selma identified family members pictured on the quilt.

Olson attributes her longevity to God's grace.

"When your time is up, that's all then," she said.

Olson isn't a fussy eater. She doesn't drink a spoonful of vinegar each night. She doesn't smoke or drink alcohol but admitted she'll eat "anything that comes along."

Born in Vesta, she grew up on a farm in Sibley Township near Gaylord. Selma remembered walking two miles to and from country school with her eight siblings. She attended school through eighth grade and did lots of farm work like milking cows, husking and shocking corn.

"It was quite a problem walking to school," Olson said. She enjoyed cooking and flower gardening.

Selma and her first husband, John Peterson, lived in Klossner where he worked for the Minnesota Highway Department. After he died, she married George Olson.

Selma wasn't content to be a housewife. She cooked for the railroad bridge crew south of New Ulm for many years and worked at Klossner General Store. George Olson also worked for the railroad.

The Olsons moved to New Ulm with Selma working at Highland Manor nursing home.

Last September, Selma had a bout with appendicitis. She wouldn't let them operate on her. The illness was cured with antibiotics in Mankato.