Jaerdis E. Nesheim

Wednesday, July 11, 2018 1:30 pm

JJaerdis E. Nesheim, 92, of Decorah, died Monday morning, July 9, 2018, at Wellington Place in Decorah. Funeral services were at 11 a.m. Friday, July 13, at Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah, with Pastor Amy Larson officiating. Burial was in Lutheran Cemetery in Decorah. Visitation was from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah, and Friday beginning at 10 a.m., one hour before the service, at Decorah Lutheran Church.

Jaerdis Evangeline (Osmundson) Olson Nesheim was born June 18, 1926, in Spring Grove, Minn., the daughter of Jeremiah F. and Alma J. (Quandahl) Osmundson. She was the oldest of seven children. Jaerdis attended school in Quandahl and graduated from Decorah High School. She started teaching in Burr Oak Village School in a one-room school house and taught there for eight years.
Jaerdis was united in marriage to Melvin B. Olson Nov. 23, 1944, at Highland Lutheran Church in rural Decorah. They were blessed with three sons: Bernard, Matthew and John.

Jaerdis graduated from Luther College in 1969 and continued teaching. She was an elementary teacher in Decorah Schools for 29 years. She said she really enjoyed teaching and her whole life revolved around the teaching. Melvin died in 1990.

Jaerdis liked to travel, do basket weaving and scrapbooking and most of all be with her family and involved in all their activities. She was a long time member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Jaerdis was united in marriage to Norwin A. “Bud” Nesheim July 2, 1994, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah. Bud died in 2012.

Jaerdis moved into Wellington Place Assisted Living in April 2014.

Jaerdis is survived by her son, John Olson, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; her grandchildren: Paula Bakken, Bernard Olson Jr., Sarah Berner, Lucas Olson, Todd Olson and Erica Olson; her great-grandchildren: Kayla Bakken, Shaina Bakken, Matthew Bakken, Ariel Olson, Mercedes Olson, Isabelle Olson, Kameron Olson and Morgan Berner; her great-great-granddaughter, Rossalina Olson; one sister, Florence Thorson of Spring Valley, Minn.; and by two brothers, Gerald (Joan) Osmundson of Washburn and Richard (Leatta) Osmundson of Eagan, Minn.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband, Melvin B. Olson; her second husband, Norwin A. “Bud” Nesheim; two sons, Matthew Olson in 1975 and Bernard Olson in 1999; her daughter-in-law, Connie Olson in 1988; and by three sisters: Inez Sollien, Adele Burnett and Sharon Schumacher.

Fjelstul Funeral Home in Decorah served the family.

Online condolences may be made at fjelstul.com.