Olive Odell

Funeral Service for Olive ?Lollie? Odell, 92, of Spearfish, SD formerly of Camp Crook, SD will be at 1:00 p. m. on Saturday, July 31, 2010, at the Little Missouri Lutheran Church at Capitol, MT with Rev. Susan Fox officiating. Interment will follow in the old Capitol Cemetery. Visitation will be 11:00 a. m. until the time of service at the church. Lollie passed away on Sunday, July 25, 2010, at the Spearfish Regional Hospital in Spearfish, SD. Olive Antonia ?Lollie? Overn was born on May 2, 1918, at the family homestead near Capitol, MT a daughter of Theodore and Clara K. (Melum) Overn. Lollie grew up on the family ranch. She attended grade school through the eighth grade at Capitol. As a freshman she attended high school in Belle Fourche, but became homesick and quit school. When Lollie returned home she babysat for her Aunt, Thelma Bye. During the summer of her 18th birthday, Lollie traveled by bus to Glacier National Park where she worked for her Aunt Nettie as a waitress and maid. At the age of 19 she enrolled in high school at Ekalaka, but did not graduate. She did complete her GED many years later, at the age of 70. Lollie and Melvin Eugene Odell were married at the Lutheran Church in Baker, MT on January 29, 1939. This union was blessed with six children: Carol, Charles, Kathy, Melvin Jr ?Gene?, Steve and Michael. Following their marriage, Lollie and Melvin rented the Robert Brakke place on Tie Creek, living there from 1939 until 1946. They moved to Capitol until 1947, when they moved to a ranch near Camp Crook. In 1949, Lollie and Melvin bought the Belltower Store 20 miles west of Camp Crook which they operated, with Melvin being the postmaster. In 1950, they sold the store and returned to the ranch at Camp Crook where they made their home. In 1970, they moved into Camp Crook. In June of 2007, Lollie moved to Spearfish where she lived until her death. Lollie loved children and from the age of 15 was a caregiver to well over 70 children in the Camp Crook, Capitol, Belltower and Ekalaka communities. Lollie enjoyed photography, gardening and her flower gardens. She had a ?green thumb? and was able to make things grow, even on the gumbo plains of Western South Dakota and Southeastern Montana. Other hobbies Lollie had were embroidery and crocheting afghans. In her spare time, she enjoyed reading and staying updated on current events. Lollie was a member of the Little Missouri Lutheran Church, Good Hope Ladies Aide and the VFW Auxilliary. For many years she wrote the Camp Crook news for the Ekalaka Eagle, Nations Center News and the Belle Fourche Post and Bee. Lollie was a talented and hard working person. Her greatest love in life was for her family. Lollie was extremely proud of her children and their accomplishments in life. Lollie is survived by her children, Carol (Robert) Smith, Freeman, SD, Charles (Karen) Odell, Camp Crook, SD, Kathy (Frank) Loehding, Sidney, MT, Gene (Carol) Odell, Camp Crook, SD, Steve Odell, Camp Crook , SD and Michael (Elizabeth) Odell, Clearwater, NE; one brother, Maurice Overn, Spearfish, SD; two sisters, Carrie Major, Montrose, CO and Clarice Curry, Baker, MT; 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Clara, her husband, Melvin, two brothers, James Overn and Chet Overn, a sister, Inez Johnson and two grandsons, Danny Smith and Trevor Odell.


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Burial Date: July 31, 2010
Funeral Home Ekalaka, MT

Funeral Service: Saturday, Little Missouri Lutheran Church, Capitol, MT