Life History of Connie Olson

21. Tell us about your father, do you have a special memory of him?

Yes I have many wonderful memories of my dad. Sure wish he was still here to see how his family has grown and to see the wonderful things they are now all doing and have done. He passed away in 1982 after a long battle with lung cancer.
My father was a switchmen on the railroad. When I was young he worked many long hours during the second world war. I remember him saying it's my job to keep the troops moving and getting to them the things they need .
He worked the 11 pm to 7 am shift a lot back then. We were in school so it was quiet around the house for him and he could sleep. I remember him working a lot.
When we were on summer vacation he would stay awake longer to do things with myself and my sister. We would go on fun picnics by the lake and go swimming. He taught us to dive.
He would take us to his work so we could ride in the engines or the caboose. Many times we would pack a lunch and then eat it in the caboose along with my dad's co-workers.
He made holidays special for us, on birthdays we always rec'd silver dollars for as many years old that we were. Boy I wish I still had them today! He enjoyed his grandchildren, he would ALWAYs give them chocolate ice cream bars to eat when they were in play clothes or dressed up. I think he was being a stinker when he gave them those to eat when they were dressed up and he knew we were heading someplace. He would have that sly smile and snicker when I would say something to him.
One time when we were visiting the kids were being restless while e were visiting, he told then to go and pick all the yellow flowers out in the yard to keep them busy. He was thinking dandelions. In came the oldest girl with all his beautiful yellow tulips. He didn't say a word he paid them all. When they went back out he shrugged and laughed and said "Well I did tell them yellow flowers what can I say!!! He was a wonderful dad and I miss him everyday as well as my mom, my hubby, and the two sons I lost to accidents.

22. Have you ever witnessed or experienced a fire, flood, disaster or accident? What happened, what did you do, how did you feel about it?

Many years ago most of our main street burned down. Lost several businesses. The buildings were old and some not even open. It started from a wood stove fire in one of the buildings. Nothing was rebuilt but a bank on the spot of one of the lots.
I've just seen auto accidents on the highway, other people, the police besides medical people were already there. We don't stop then, as to many people just being there causes confusion , and are in the way. Let the pros do thier jobs.
Most of the others I've only seen on the tv not in person.

23. When you have quiet time what do you like to do?

Sleep, watch tv and just be lazy. If I'm out with people in a car and they are doiing other things. I'll sit and just watch othere people go by.

24. Who was the president of the United States when you were born? Who was your favorite president and why?

Who was your favorite president and why?
This should get a raise out of people. It's President Bill Clinton.
# 1 When he was President he did get us out of our National debt.!!!!! Look at us now and the still climbing deficiet!!!! SAD!!!!
He cared about the education of our children he didn't keep cutting the money for thier education needs. It is sad that school districts have to cut their teachers andmany of their programs. But we can supposedly afford to have a uncalled for war and spend billions of dollars of our money on their peoples needs. They live in one of the richest oil countries in the world. They can afford to do more for their people than we ever could for ours. Can you imagine how that money would help our people thats being spent over there. Clinton helped the people of this country with programs that were needed to help them better themselves. We work hard here in America . Some of our hard earned tax money should be helping us to better our lives and our childrens. Enough of that! Your question hit a sore spot for me. Our present people in our government seem to be more interested in lining the pockets of their former big bussiness buddies like the so called Halburton Inc. Yes ex Pres Bill Clintons behavior wasn't kosher. But you can't tell me there weren't other Presidents and yes, probably other people in our government who did the same thing. They just didn't get caught.

25. Did your family have any special traditions?

Lets see, on holidays we have a tradition of certain foods. On the fourth we all get together for the doings and parade in town. Each person brings their favorite dish for a cook out. The place where they have the cook out each year furnishes the meat.
Memorial Day is the first cook out of the year regardless of the weather. If everyone is healthy and can travel we will go the cemeteries for the services and to put flowers and visit the graves of our family and friends
Labor day is the last BBQ for all the families to get together before the long winter ahead.
Thanksgiving is always at my daughter place. Last year we tried something different for the food, went all Italian. Didn't seem like a holiday so this year it's back to having turkey even though lots of us aren't very fond of it.
Christmas is usually ham but the last few years we've added a pork or beef roast or both,. Some of the family doesn't like ham we found out as the kids got older and could speak their piece abut food we have. We go to Christmas Eve services at 8:00 in the evening and then over to my friends place for his birthday celebration. Gifts are opened in the morning.
New years is a day for friends and family to come and visit. Two years ago we started a new tradition. We make Clam chowder and Cheesy Cauliflower or cheesy broccoli soup. We have different kinds of breads , buns, meats, and cheeses. Lots of different treats etc. It sits out and anyone can go and eat when they are hungry there's no sit down meal. The son in law made a salad bar we put ice in keep the food cold. We have two big roaster for the soup.
Valentines Day is ice cream and cake, it's a pink cake with strawberries and whipped cream.
St Urho's Day is the 16th of March the day before St Patrick's Day. It's a newly recent Finnish Day of celebration it's said it's because St Urho who chased the grasshoppers out of Finland
St Patrick's day is green ice cream and green cake with the St Patty's Day decorations.
Then Easter we all go to sunrise services at church done by the youth. We have a pancake breakfast afterwards done by the youth too.
Then head for home to find our baskets and make the big dinner of ham or ???
That's about it for traditions. Oh I forgot, if we have wedding or showers in the family we all get together to decorate and bring the food for it. Everyone brings what they make the best or are assigned a food to make. It's nothing to make a 100 pounds of potato salad for a wedding. No complaints either. Otherwise it's to much work for one family to do and it can get very expensive.

26. How old were you when you learned to drive? Who taught you and what kind of car did you learn on?

I was 15 my father told me to get behind the wheel I was going to get my first "Learning how to drive lesson" He then proceeded to explain the shifting process to me.
The car was 1948 Plymouth 4 door sedan, a straight stick, which meant a clutch. He showed me where the gears were, and how not to "grind off a pound of metal" putting it into the different gears. Well, he did that several times over, and over, and over he had me go throughout it, until he thought I had it down to a "T" to his satisfaction anyway.
Then off we went to a big parking lot across from our house. That's where he had me practice putting it into gear, stopping and starting for 100's of times it seemed. But by the time the driving lesson was over I knew the basics and was all gung -ho to do it again. Parking was my next lesson. Then it was on the road to put my new found skills to a test.
At 15 I had my permit and at 16 my drivers licensee. I passed both the written and driving test with nothing wrong 100% My dad was a good teacher. My mom never did learn to drive and my sister wanted nothing to do with it. In fact she just got her licensee at age 60. She now drives all over. My dad would of been proud to know she finally got enough nerve to get it.

27. What is your first memory of as a child?

My mom’s mother died when I was two. I only remember her lying on a bed that to me seemed very high, or was it I was very short being so young. I remember her having pitch black hair and was very pretty lady. She had on a high necked night gown. She was looking down from the bed and was smiling at me, she then asked me to come closer to her bedside. When I was walking up to her one of my Aunts came in and grabbed me by the hand, then scolded me for being in there as gramma was suppose to be resting. She then took me off into the kitchen where all the adults were sitting and talking. That is as far back as I can remember.

28. What did your father and mother do for a living?

My mother stayed home to take care of the house and her family until I was married. My sister was still in school when she went to work in the cafeteria. She worked there for 10 years after my sister graduated. She worked because she was a person who liked to stay busy at all times. As we all got older there wasn't much for her to do, so she decided to be useful and make money at it.
My father worked for the M&St. L RR as a switchmen. He retired from there after 40 some years. He had been hurt at work, and it was getting difficult for him to climb on the boxcars and run along on top of them. He loved his job.
His father and grandsfather also were railroad men.

29. Have you ever seen or witnessed a miracle?

Off hand I can't say I have as of yet. There has been so much sickness, death and cancer in our family, but not any spectacular cures for anyone. But you never know someday I might see one. I belive they can happen. If there has been one I can't recall it.

30. What sports do you participate in or watch? Are you enthusiastic about sports or exercising?

Where do I start!!!! I love sports especially the ones my grandchildren participate in.Keeps them out of trouble. I even watch ESPN when there is nothing else I'm interested in on the cable tv!
All I have now in school sports are my 2 grandsons, one a Senior this year and the other a Junior, both on Varsity squads. Also a great grandson who is in the eighth grade on "C" squad. Then one grand daughter who will be in the ninth grade and will play on "B" squad this year. Al;l good players.
Regular Football practice starts here the 16th of August, also "Captains" practice starts the first week in August. Girls volleyball starts at the same time. They have a tournament on the 23rd for volleyball.
Our school has a family pass for $35.00 for all our home games. Senior citizens get in free. I go to all the games I can here at home and most of all the away ones. When my daughter doesn't drive I catch rides with some of the other parents.
The boys are in football, basketball and baseball, Chelsey is in volleyball, basketball and softball. The boys in basketball this year were the Long Bow Conference Champions and Northern Lakes Conference champs. They also took the Sub Section 6 Title Championships both in basketball and baseball. They are fun to watch and I feel the teams need our support with our presence at their games.

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