Betty Lou Young

Betty Lou Olson Young passed away peacefully June 23, 2010. Betty Lou (Olson) Young was born to Loyd Oscar Olson and Nora Marinda (Ranum) Olson on the family farm outside of Goldfield, Iowa on July 25, 1923.  She was born and raised in  the house that her grandfather built and that her father was born in. Betty attended Norway Township country school through the eighth grade, then attended Eagle Grove High School.  There she was active in singing and in 1939 was elected Eagle Grove High School’s first Homecoming Queen.  She was also elected Band Queen, which she couldn’t quite figure out since she didn’t play an instrument, nor was she a member of the band. After graduation in 1940 she worked for one year as a secretary for an Eagle Grove insurance and real estate firm. Betty enrolled in the nursing program at the Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines.  She received her Registered Nursing degree in 1944.  While there, she met a young doctor who was interning at Iowa Methodist Hospital, Richard A. Young.    They were married January 19^th, 1945 at her family home near Goldfield. Because he loved the area and the people, Richard Young set up his medical practice in Clarion, along with his medical college friend, Dr. Robert Eaton.  In 1952, following her husband in a tour of duty at Fort Sam Houston, Texas and Fort Dix, New Jersey, she practiced nursing in San Antonio and on the military base at Fort Dix. Betty then spent the rest her life in Clarion. Betty was an avid bridge player, and loved playing bridge several times a week.  She was a member of the Clarion Methodist church and enjoyed singing several years in the church choir . Betty was active in the Hospital Auxiliary, helping in many ways to raise funds.  She practiced nursing at the Clarion Memorial Hospital for 5 years. Betty also was active as a leader in Campfire Girls and Cub Scouts. She was asked back and worked again as nurse at the hospital from the late 60’s until 1971.  After retiring from nursing, Betty concentrated on her greatest love and her biggest talent…music.  She played bluegrass and old time fiddle and was very talented in playing  the piano and organ.  She also played autoharp, some banjo and some guitar. She played the Uniphone in many parades.   Betty could play pretty  much any instrument she tried.  She particularly enjoyed playing fiddle in the group she co-founded, the White Fox Assembly. She, along with her husband, was also an avid birder and mushroom hunter.  She taught her children at an early age how to spot asparagus along the roadside and morels in the woods. Betty was proud of her Norwegian heritage and visited her homeland twice, and worked tirelessly to help organize reunions. She and her husband enjoyed spending time in their vacation home in the Mountain View-Allison area of Arkansas. We only hope that where she is going there is a good game  of bridge going on and some bluegrass playing in the background. Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Richard A. Young , her parents Nora and Loyd Olson. Her survivors include her children Sally Smith of Utica, Minnesota,  Kathy (Robert) Walton of Englewood, Colorado and John (Janice) Young of Mesa, Arizona, as well as five loving grandchildren and two beautiful great-granddaughters .  She is also survived by her sister Darcia Christensen of Eagle Grove. Visitation will be Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Ewing Funeral Home at 602 North Main Street, Clarion, Iowa.  The Funeral services will be Tuesday  at 2:00 at the United Methodist Church Of Clarion, 201 Third Ave NE, Clarion, Iowa.  Officiating will be Pastor Don Morrison. Donations  may be made to the Clarion Hospice.