Ella Olson

Ella Rauter Olson passed into God’s eternal care on August 29, 2026, after a brave battle with lymphoma. Ella was born to David and Ottilie (Henke) Rauter on August 7, 1943, in Donaten, Poland. She and her family immigrated to the US as refugees in 1952. On August 25, 1963, Ella was united in marriage to Gary Jerome Olson at South Beef River Lutheran Church near Osseo, Wisconsin. Their partnership spanned more than sixty-one years and welcomed three children — John, Timothy, and Gretchen.

After Gary was ordained as a Lutheran pastor, Ella embraced life as his partner in ministry, faithfully serving congregations throughout Minnesota and Iowa while raising their family. Wherever they served, Ella took classes at the nearest college, eventually earning her Bachelor of Science degree from Morningside University in 1979 — one year before her oldest child graduated from high school. Her dedication to pursuing her education inspired other mothers and her children to the same. While balancing the responsibilities of ministry and family, Ella enjoyed a meaningful career in business and public service. She worked in membership for the Better Business Bureau where she was recognized for achieving the highest sales, as office manager for a congressional campaign, as manager of Allen Hospital’s Occupational Health Clinic, and later as manager of Gary and Ella’s rental properties.

Committed to passing on the opportunities she’d received and believing it was central to her Christian calling, Ella and Gary opened their hearts and their home to those seeking refuge and anyone who needed a place to lay their head. They sponsored numerous refugee families over the years, including eight Vietnamese refugees who lived in the family parsonage for six weeks, and nine Romanian refugees. Ella believed hospitality was one of life's greatest ministries, and she aspired to make everyone who entered her home feel welcomed, valued, and cared for.

Gary and Ella retired to Spirit Lake in 2017, where they became active members of First Presbyterian Church — a community of people they treasured.

Ella saw every encounter as an opportunity to include, affirm, encourage and uplift anyone who might feel unwelcome, discouraged or unappreciated. Her network of friends stretched far and wide. She found joy in singing (most often the harmony), in memorable vocabulary and “catch phrases”, in time with family and friends, any thrift store, and in decorating spaces in hopes of maximal hospitality. She loved her family and will be remembered as faith-filled, devoted, strong, determined, kind, gracious, generous, positive, resourceful, creative and brave, living out her faith through acts of love and service.

Ella is survived by her son, John (Peggi) Olson; daughter, Gretchen Olson Kopp; grandchildren, Kasey (Trevor) Rohwer, Carter (Samantha) Olson, Abby (Darrion) Webber, Emily Olson, Eleanor Kopp, and Eli Kopp; great-grandchildren, Mara and Rece Rohwer; sister Lilli (Alvin) Gross; brother Paul (Linda) Rauter; brother-in-law, Bruce (Sue) Olson and numerous other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Gary Olson; son, Tim Olson; son-in-law, Sacha Kopp; her parents, David and Ottilie Rauter; sister, Frieda Rauter, brother, Gerhard Rauter, sister Herta Boyle, sister Lydia Clements, sister-in-law Sonia (Al) Scheele, brother-in-law, Forrest (Romona) Olson, and sister-in-law Mavis (Roger) Myren.

We will celebrate Ella’s human and eternal life on September 11 at 11 am at First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The service will be live-streamed at fpcspiritlake.org/stream. Ella and Gary will be laid to rest in the South Beef River Lutheran Cemetery on October 24.