Ivy Terttie Olson was born the only child to Finnish immigrants inKinneyin Kinney, Minnesota. The year was 1917 and her parents ran a smallgeneral small general store in town. They had immigrated to America around the turnof turn of the century and found a natural home in the blustery winters ofNorthern of Northern Minnesota. At 3 years of age, the Olson's moved from Kinney toPaloto Palo, Minnesota to buy a farm and tend the land. Ivy spent her earlyyears early years helping wherever she could, raising dairy cows and chickens, andgrowing and growing grain. She even learned to snare rabbits. Her parents onlyspoke only spoke Finnish and so Ivy learned her beloved, native tongue at hermotherher mother's knee and didn't begin to speak English until she attendedschoolattended school. Ivy was an assiduous student who developed a love for booksand books and reading in her early years; this appreciation of books and learningstayed learning stayed with her for her entire life. From her years on the farm, Ivylearned Ivy learned to be careful, industrious and diligent in her work ethic.These traits stayed with her for the remainder of her life. She alsolearned also learned to enjoy life especially when her family built a sauna on LakeLoonLake Loon. Her cousin recalls the joy of running from a hot, steamy saunainto sauna into a cool, refreshing lake during the summertime. In 1937, Ivy movedto Wheaton Illinois to attend College. After graduating she returnedhome returned home for a while and soon attended the University of Minnesota whereshe where she perused a Bachelor's of Science degree in Library Science andgraduated and graduated in 1941. From there she began to employ her skills as alibrarian a librarian and a teacher at Silver Lake High School. She eventuallyreturned eventually returned to Wheaton College as a research librarian in 1943.
Ivy was a dedicated worker. She excelled in her field. Sheworked She worked in the library for 39 years and served in a number of capacitiesincluding capacities including Head of Public Services and Acting Librarian on twooccasionstwo occasions. Even after she retired she continued to work in the libraryas library as a volunteer well into her eighties. In 1952 Ivy was in charge ofmoving of moving the library from Blanchard Hallto Hall to the Nicholas library. She organized a human chain to move more than95than 95,000 books from Blanchard's Fischer Library to the new NicholaslibraryNicholas library. As you would expect from Ivy she knew just about where everybook was in that library. In 1975 she again helped in the design andlayout and layout of Buswell Library. Ivy knew that library back and forth andloved and loved her time there. She was always helpful, always supportive, alwaysknowledgeablealways knowledgeable. She was also always there. Though Ivy was entitled to aSabbatical a Sabbatical leave she never wanted to go. And over the course of fourdecades four decades only went once for a time down to Columbia College to help intheir in their library. Ivy was recognized as an excellent Librarian. In 1959she 1959 she helped establish the Association of Christian Librarians and wasits was its inaugural president. In 1986 she received the Emily Russell awardfrom award from the ACL in Recognition of her outstanding contribution toChristian to Christian Librarianship. Ivy loved her work and she worked with all herhearther heart. She also loved the people she worked with and she was much lovedby loved by her coworkers and by the students. Ivy was also a loving daughter. Shortly after moving toWheatonto Wheaton, Ivy had her parents move here from Minnesota so she could carefor care for them. Her father soon passed away and so it was Ivy and her motherwho mother who shared the house on Cherry Avenue. She was a kind neighbor and manytell many tell of her warm greetings and gracious invitations to join her atCollege at College Church. Ivy enjoyed those years with her mother especially whenthey when they would get to spend time at the Morton Arboretum and Ginko'sRestaurants Restaurant. Ivy lovingly cared for her mother until she went home to bewith be with the Lord.
Ivy also loved the church. She was a member for more than 50years 50 years and served in a variety of capacities. She taught First grade fora number of years and loved being around the children. She also lovedmissions loved missions and missionaries and was a faithful member of the PhoebeMissionary Phoebe Missionary Circle for more than 40 years. Ivy was a faithful prayer warrior. She prayed for ourmissionariesour missionaries, for her pastors and for her leaders. In fact she kept alist a list of all the key government leaders with assigneddays assigned days for prayer in her bible.
Ivy was also a diligent student of God's word. She loved the Bible and enjoyed for many years the teaching of Earle Cairns and Bob Huff in the Bereans class.
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