Olive Marie Gran

CLERGY
Prayer Service ~ Pastor Bill Gran, Nephew
Funeral Service ~ Pastor Tom Petersen
MUSIC
Organist ~ Glee Deutscher
Congregational Hymns
“How Great Thou Art”
“He Touched Me”
“The Old Rugged Cross”
Special Music by the “Happy Memories Band”
"Go Tell It On The Mountain"
PALLBEARERS
Grandsons Ryan and Jayme Gran and Chris Arens
Nephews Don Knigge, John Ellingsen, and Merlin Stillman
HONORARY PALLBEARERS
Granddaughters Kimberly Gran and Robyn (Gran) Arens Great-Grandchildren Mataya and Maddox Arens, and Cohen Lewis
Nieces and Nephews
Olive Marie Gran, 88 died peacefully at her home in Scotland, South Dakota on Monday, May 2, 2011, one day prior to her 89th birthday.
Olive Marie Gran was born May 3, 1922 at her parents farm near Wessington Springs, South Dakota as the 8th of 9 siblings. Olive’s parents were George and Sarah (Lord) Stillman. The Stillman family moved to a farm just west of Scotland when Olive was in the 4th grade. Olive graduated with the Scotland High School Class of 1939 and was united in marriage to Lawrence A. Gran, son of Anton & Hannah Gran, on March 10, 1940 at Olivet, South Dakota. Lawrence worked as a carpenter for Ed Blaalid and Lester Anderson from 1940-1942. Olive and Lawrence then farmed north of Scotland 1942- 1943 and west of Scotland 1944-1947 during which their two sons, Delmar (1944) and Jerry (1947) were born. In November 1947 they moved to Miles City, Montana where Lawrence worked in his brother Edward’s gas station. Olive, Lawrence and two sons returned to Scotland in February 1949 and purchased Cisar’s Market, which they owned and operated as Gran’s Market until 1976 when son Jerry (Debra) assumed ownership. Lawrence, Olive and sons joined the United Methodist Church in 1956 where Olive subsequently served as Treasurer for many years. She was Treasurer for the Scotland High School All School Reunion in 1989. Olive enjoyed bus tours to most of the 50 states with Scotland area friends. She continued to be active in the United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, Bible Study, and Landmann-Jungman Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and other community service. She was a frequent visitor to residents at the Scotland Good Samaritan Center. Olive’s sewing talents included quilting and crocheting, she will be remembered by her grandchildren for her love and quilts. She also enjoyed physical exercise, bowling, dancing and local area parades in Kaylor, Menno, Tabor and Wagner with special long-time friend Wayne Walter in his 1928 Model A Roadster. Olive was a very family-oriented wife and mother who lived for her husband, sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and other family and friends. She loved her daughters-in-law like daughters. Her sons and daughters will remember her excellent cooking and “old-fashioned conservative ways.”  Olive was noted for her sense of humor, friendly disposition, perpetual smile, and “tomorrow will be better” attitude. She was friends with everyone and lived life to the fullest.
Olive’s memory will always be cherished by her two sons Delmar (Cheryl Speeg) of Roswell, Georgia and Jerry (Debra Slaba) of LeMars, Iowa; four grandchildren: Ryan (Tiffany) of Kansas City, Missouri, Kimberly of Birmingham, Alabama, Robyn (Christopher Arens)of Sioux Falls and Jayme of Altoona, Iowa; three great-grandchildren: Mataya and Maddox Arens and Cohen Lewis; and one sister, Violet (Stillman) Simek of Scotland. Olive is also survived by sisters-in-law Fern (Ellinger) Gran of Sioux Falls and Evelyn (Carl Petersen) of Dallas, Oregon and many nieces, nephews and friends. Special friend Jackie
Dvorak of Scotland became the “third daughter Olive never had” during the past three years.
Olive was preceded in death by her husband Lawrence in 1983; her parents George and Sarah (Lord) Stillman; one bother, Elmer; and six sisters, Alta (Knigge), Alice (Ellingsen), Hazel (Walker), Ella (Holm), Grace (Jochims) and Elizabeth who died at birth in 1917; and special friend Wayne Walter.