Lois M. Olson, age 93, of Dubuque and formerly of Marathon, Iowa, passed away at 10:45 p.m., on Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at Stonehill Health Center.  To celebrate Lois’s life, there will be a joint celebration for her and her former husband, Dean Olson, held in the afternoon on June 8, 2024, at the Marathon Community Center, 306 W. Attica Street, Marathon, Iowa.  Burial will be in Poland Township Cemetery.  Behr Funeral Home in Dubuque and Sliefert Funeral Home in Marathon are assisting the family.

Lois was born on September 20, 1930, in Carroll, Iowa, the daughter of George and Mildred (Goodwin) Beck.  Sadly George would pass away when Lois was very young, but her mother remarried and she gained a wonderful step-father, Christian Hollinger.

After her father passed away the family moved to Sloan, Iowa where she graduated from Sloan High School, Class of 1949.  Lois went on to earn her Associates Degree from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake and would begin teaching elementary school children until the late 50’s.  In 1957, she married Dean Olson and they had 3 sons.  They enjoyed the outdoors and Lois even learned to ride her own BMW motorcycle becoming an official member of the Silver Wheels Club.  Sadly the marriage ended, but they remained friends until he passed away earlier this year.  Lois was always a woman on the go.  She had many business ventures and hobbies including co-owning and operating the Country Clover Farm Store in Marathon from 1979 until the mid 1980’s, owning an antique store, restoring furniture and candle making.  Lois was also very active in her community and served on the school board and as the Mayor of Marathon for 2 terms.  Eventually Lois would meet her long time partner, Dorothy Hoffmann, and discover a love for the RV life.  Every winter they would load up the RV and head to Apache Junction to enjoy the warm weather and spending time with their friends.  Lois has lived a very full life and loved her family deeply.  She will be greatly missed.

Those left to cherish Lois’s memory include

her 3 sons,
Tim (Chris Happ) Olson, Dubuque, IA,
Greg (Chris Montgomery) Olson, Columbia, MO
and Brad (Karla Finn) Olson, Des Moines, IA;

5 grandchildren,
Emma Olson, Lena Olson, Tess Wilkerson, Curtis (Jennifer) Finn and Brenda (Alan) Hall;

3 great-grandchildren,
Marcus Finn, Bekah Finn and Adilyn Hall;

a niece and 5 nephews.

Lois was preceded in death by her parents and step-father; her life partner, Dorothy Hoffmann; 3 sisters, Shirley (George) Davis, Barb (Richard) Leth and Christine (Al) Soukup; a nephew, Rick Leth; and her former husband, Dean Olson.

Lois’s family would like to thank her friends at The Rose for the past 9 years, and the nurses and staff of Stonehill and Hospice of Dubuque for the support and kindness they have given to Lois.

The family will thankfully receive your support through greeting cards and memorials in Lois’s memory which may be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Lois Olson Family.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com