Olive Wendland

Olive Wendland, age 97, of Broken Arrow, OK died June 15, 2017. Olive was the widow of Harold "Chuck" Wendland.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 20, at 1:00 p.m. at New Life Community Baptist Church in Ortonville.

Visitation will be at the church on Tuesday beginning at noon.

Olive Viola Wendland (Gunderson) was born on February 29, 1920 in Watson, MN. Olive grew up on a farm with 3 sisters and 2 brothers. She studied education for two years at Moorhead State Teacher's College in Moorhead, MN. At Moorhead, she sang in musicals.

After graduation, she taught in Watson, Artichoke, and Odessa. She married Harold "Chuck" Wendland in 1945 and moved to his dairy farm near Bellingham, MN. She enjoyed cultivating large flower and vegetable gardens; raising 400 chickens every year for many years, canning, and sewing. She loved entertaining.

Away from the farm, Olive was a 4-H leader. She and Chuck were youth leaders at Bellingham E.U.B. Church (now Bellingham United Methodist). She sang in a women's trio and helped direct plays. Later, she and Chuck were very involved in New Life Community Baptist Church. Olive was also a Friendship Bible Coffee Prayer coordinator and led Bible studies in their home. She and Chuck were diligent prayer warriors.

After Chuck's passing, Olive lived nearly ten years with her daughter and family in Broken Arrow, OK. She continued her involvement in her local church and neighborhood Bible studies and continued to be a prayer warrior. She experienced health problems in her last few years but chose to be joyful and loving despite her circumstances. Her sweetness and encouragement will be missed.

She is survived by her son Bruce (Wendy) of Harrisonville, MO; grandson Jordan; granddaughter Kaitlyn Shields (Curtis); daughter Cheri Coleman (Gary) of Broken Arrow, OK; granddaughter Sarah Huang (Deren); granddaughter Ashley Coleman (fiance Andrew Squance); son Curt (Faye) of Byron, MN; granddaughter Annie (Kirk Snyder); and granddaughter Melissa Thiessen (James).

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold (Chuck), her brothers Gordon and Joe, and sisters Margaret, Phyllis, and Palma; and her stillborn son, Paul Robert.