Jean Elizabeth Olson

Jean Elizabeth (Bunge) Olson of Howard Lake, MN formerly of Crosby, MN passed away on May 9, 2026, at the age of 81. She now joins the love of her life, her husband Adrian, who passed away on March 25, 2026.

Jean was born on May 22, 1944, to Elmer and Neva Bunge in LaCrosse, WI and grew up on their family farm in Eitzen, MN. She graduated from Caledonia High school. After high school, she went to secretarial school in Rochester and worked at different secretarial jobs. Once she had children, she was a stay-at-home mom for her family for several years and then went back into the workforce as an administrative assistant/secretary for the Osseo School District and for Ameriprise in Minneapolis.

Jean was very crafty and was great at sewing, crocheting, and knitting. She was active in her church and her faith was a very important part of her life. She was known for making many batches of Norwegian flat bread and lefse throughout the years. One of her claims to fame was being named the Lefse Queen. She was a winner at the Barnesville Lefse Cookoff one year and was also written about in the book The Last Words on Lefse. Her granddaughters enjoyed spending time with her in the kitchen learning how to make lefse and cinnamon rolls while her grandsons enjoyed eating them.

Jean loved to spend time with her family, especially at their lake home on Serpent Lake. When her family was younger, taking family vacation was a highlight with numerous trips to Florida along with trips to the east and west coast and to places in between. Jean and Adrian also spent time traveling to places like Bequia, Russia, China and the Middle East. They enjoyed spending time in Texas every winter and spending the rest of the year at their lake home on Serpent Lake. Jean and Adrian were also involved with the start of the Cuyuna Range Farmers Market in Crosby. You would find them both there every Saturday during the season selling produce, crafts, flatbread and lefse.

She was preceded in death by her husband Adrian, parents Elmer and Neva Bunge and brother Robert.

She is survived by her daughters Julie (Brenden) Harbaugh of Dubuque, IA and Laura (Randy) Heuer of Howard Lake, MN, grandchildren Jonathan and Brooke Harbaugh and Robert and Elizabeth Heuer. She is also survived by her sister Barb Rhodes of Deerwood, MN, sister and brother-in-law Joan and Bert Goetzinger of Eitzen, brother-in-law Jeff (Marsha) Olson of Deerwood, MN, sisters-in-law Roseann Olson of Sioux Falls, SD and Carolyn Olson of Spring Grove, MN, along with many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Ridgeview Waconia Hospital and Good Samaritan, Howard Lake.

A memorial service for Adrian and Jean will take place at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Howard Lake, on Friday, June 12 at 11AM. Visitation from 9:30 - 11:00. Lunch served after service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Ridgeview Hospice through the Ridgeview Foundation, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Crosby or St. John’s Lutheran Church, Howard Lake, MN.