Lois Ohlson

Lois Ohlson, 86, of Ogden, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2014, at Westhaven Community in Boone, Iowa. 

Funeral services were held 10:30 a.m., Monday, Dec. 1, 2014, at the Community United Methodist Church in Ogden.  Rev. Gary Hoyt officiated. Burial was at Glenwood Cemetery in Ogden. Visitation was Sunday, from 5 to 7 p.m., at the Community United Methodist Church in Ogden. For online obituaries and condolences please visit: www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Lois Lynn Swindler was born on March 15, 1928 to Byrd and Ruth (Forsberg) Swindler in Denver, Colorado. Her early childhood was spent in Texas and Oklahoma. During her high school years, Lois moved to Ogden, Iowa, to help her maternal aunt and uncle, Crystal and Einer Petersen with their newly born twins, Caryl and Daryl. Lois graduated from Ogden High School in 1946, receiving State honors in Speech and Drama. 

While in Ogden, Lois Swindler met Dean Ohlson, a recent WWII returnee. After attending the University of Iowa together, Lois and Dean were married on Aug. 14, 1948. In 1954 they opened Ogden’s Ohlson Drug. Lois handled the merchandising and retail operations of their store while raising their four children.

Volunteering was a fundamental part of Lois’ life. She served her community by tirelessly advocating for community enhancements such as Don Williams Lake and the Lincoln Highway Project, and by serving as an election judge for over twenty years. She served people by encouraging and training aspiring businesswomen and by mentoring youth individually as well as in organized groups such as the Campfire Girls and Boy Scouts. She served the Kingdom of God by teaching, leading and fundraising in Ogden’s Community United Methodist Church. In all of these endeavors, Lois employed her enormous artistic capacities. Her skills extended into several areas of crafts and cooking: Lois was almost legendary locally for her doll houses, holiday candies and gingerbread houses.

Lois Ohlson was a loving mother of David (Donna) Ohlson, Nancy (Mark) Ness, Holly (Dan) Hagg and Mark (Melanie) Ohlson. She has gone to join her beloved husband Dean, and her cherished sister, Dorothy. As for her legacy, Lois was the devoted grandmother of Kerry, Heidi, Zachery, Bridget, Lindsay, Alex, Ian, Gerry and Jay. And she was the proud great grandmother of Lauren, Logan, Brayson, Asher, Liam and Zivah.