Ollene Lavonne Leutink, 87

Published 10:18 am Thursday, April 5, 2012

Ollene Lavonne (Matthiesen) Leutink, 87, died Monday, April 2, 2012, at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Ollene Lavonne Leutink

Ollene was born April 20, 1924, in Ionia, Iowa to Anton and Elsie Granle. She attended country schools in the Austin, Minn. area and graduated Austin High School in 1942.

Ollene married Donnie Matthiesen on Feb. 21, 1942. She spent most of the next years raising her family. She went to work at the Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minn. in 1968 after the youngest went to school. She worked there until 1974. After Don was killed in 1972, she moved to Spring Valley, Minn. She met and married Earl Leutink in April 1974. She opened a craft and hobby shop in 1975. Early passed away in 1983.

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She then moved to Sparta, Wis. for one year before moving back to Minnesota where she lived in the Senior Citizen apartments in Mantorville, Minn. for approximately eleven years where life consisted of family get-togethers, church, card playing and crossword puzzles. From there she moved to Pine Island assisted living in 2007 and then into the nursing home. Ollene truly enjoyed visits from her many grandchildren; she was extremely proud of each of them.

Ollene is survived by two sons, David Matthiesen of Mantorville and Dennis (Shelley) Matthiesen of Oronoco, Minn.; six daughters, Darlene Carroll of O’Fallon, Mo., Delores (Rodney) Wolf of Sparta, Wis., Diane Hagan of Mantorville, Dorothy Matthiesen of Fridley, Minn., Debra Matthiesen of Zumbrota, Minn., and Denise Matthiesen of Stewartville, Minn. Ollene has 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren, sister Betty Gilbertson of Jackson, Minn., stepdaughter Kathy Leibold and numerous step-grandchildren.

Ollene is preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, husband Donnie Matthiesen and second husband Earl Leutink, two sons Duane and Dean, son-in-law Howard Hagan, daughter-in-law Marge Matthiesen, grandson Jim Matthiesen and two step-children.

Friends and family may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 8 at Dibble Funeral Home in Kasson, Minn. and one hour before the service on Monday, April 9 at First Congregational Church in Mantorville, Minn., with services beginning at 11 a.m. A light luncheon will be served after the services in the church. Following the luncheon guests are welcome to join the family at Lansing Cemetery.