Olive H. Eckstein, 94 of Thief River Falls, MN passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at Arbor Lane Memory Care in Burnsville, MN. Where she resided with kind and compassionate care since November 2018.

Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM with the funeral service at 11:00 AM on Monday, January 13, 2025, at Johnson Funeral Service 420 LaBree Ave. N in Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Jeffrey Lytle officiating. A time of lunch and fellowship will follow the service. Burial at Immanuel Cemetery, Wylie, MN.

Olive Helen Thorson was born August 27, 1930, the daughter of Henry and Augusta (Geske) Thorson. She was baptized November 10, 1930, in Macoun, Saskatchewan and confirmed June 9, 1946 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, MN. She graduated from Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls with the class of 1949. After school she attended Teachers Training in Moorhead and her first position was in Swift, MN. In 1952, Olive began teaching at a one room schoolhouse in Wylie, MN. It didn't take long for a young farmer, Roger Eckstein to notice the new young attractive teacher.

On November 1, 1953, Olive was united in marriage to Roger Eckstein at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls. In 1959 they moved to Red Lake Falls where they opened the Gamble's Hardware Store which changed to Hardware Hank and moved into Peppermint Square and then retired in 1987. In 2014 Olive moved to Burnsville MN to be near family.

Olive was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Red Lake Falls, MN where she was active in Ladies Aid and a Sunday School Teacher. Olive was active with the American Legion Auxiliary and Hillcrest Auxiliary in Red Lake Falls. After retirement when they moved to Thief River Falls, she became a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.

Survivors include children, Terry Eckstein of Mantorville, MN, Scott (Karin) Hermansen) Eckstein of Cannon Beach, OR, Jill (Dave) Gunderson of Burnsville, MN; grandchildren, Jessica (David Kazibut) Eckstein, Aaron Eckstein, Tony (Stephanie) Gunderson, Leif (Melissa) Gunderson and Karl Kolberg; sister-in-law, Marion Anderson of Anchorage, AK; and many other relatives including four Great Grand Children.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Roger on January 4, 2008; and daughter, Natalie Kolberg on June 19, 2011; brother, Miles Thorson; sisters, Carole Grovum and Annabelle Sullins; grandson, Jacob Eckstein.

Memorials are suggested to St John Lutheran Church in Red Lake Falls or St. John Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls.

Condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com