Olga Marie Holwell

Funeral services for Olga Marie Holwell will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church of Newcastle with Pastor Paul Holland as officiant. A visitation, also at First United Methodist Church will precede the service from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery in Newcastle, Wyoming.Olga Marie Holwell, a longtime resident of Weston County and recently of Gillette, Wyoming passed away from this life to the next on March 17, 2013 at Campbell County Memorial Hospital in the company of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.Olga was one of seven children born to Carl and Hannah Larson. She was born June 17, 1912 in Omaha, NE where her parents had settled after emigrating from Sweden. Olga completed the eighth grade at Starr Butte School on Skull Creek where the family had established a ranch eight miles east of Osage, WY. Chores were divided among the children and Olga did her share, milking cows, feeding calves, and helping her mother Hannah, cook and clean. She rode every day looking after a hundred cows and their calves, and the same number of yearlings. An admirer of hers, Bill Holwell, said "she was able to mate every cow and calf, and this is something few people were able to do in a herd that size". Bill eventually impressed this eighteen year old cowgirl and invited her to the local dances. He pursued her for another seven years before she agreed to a marriage. The couple married on August 10. 1937 and lived and worked on her father's ranch until they moved to Newcastle, WY in 1949. To this marriage the couple had five children: Linda, William, Bruce, Donna, and Larry. Of their life Bill said: "We have remained good friends to this day. We never had any problems that we were unable to overcome. We have been pleased and happy with each other and would change very little even if we were able to. We have had a happy, well fulfilled life, our children have turned out to be good American citizens, and so, who could ask for more". Their home was open to all who stopped by. Weekends would often find the street in front of the house filled with the cars of friends and family. During her One hundred years of life she grew to become an accomplished homemaker, marvelous cook, mother, and wife. The grandchildren combined grandma and cookies into one word; grandmascookies. Though possessing a shy personality she always found time to be involved in the community and church. She was active in the First United Methodist Church where Olga had been a member since 1946, she was involved in Eastern Star, Daughters of the Nile, Job's daughters and several social and service clubs.She was preceded in death by her parents, six siblings, her husband Bill and daughter Linda.Olga is survived by four children: William (Judy) Holwell of Denver, Colorado, Bruce (Mary) Holwell of Sheridan, Wyoming, Donna (Doug) Scott of Gillette, Wyoming, and Larry (Jan) Holwell of Indiana; eight grandchildren and twenty great- grandchildren.Olga's daughter was heard to comment "when someone has lived so long and been such a big part of your life, you begin to assume she will live forever". So she shall, in the hearts and minds of family and friends, but for now she rests in the arms of her Savior surrounded by those who waited patiently while she finished her work on this earth.Memorials and condolences may be sent in Olga's name in care of Walker Funeral Home, 410 Medical Arts Court, Gillette, Wyoming 82716. Condolences may also be sent via the website www.walkerfuneralhome.com.Funeral Home:Gillette Memorial Chapel210 West Fifth Street Gillette, WYUS 82716