Nancy L. Olson

Nancy L. Olson, age 80, of Winona, passed away on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.

Nancy Louise Hoye was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 13, 1945, to William J. Hoye and Mabel N. Hoye (née Mattison). She was raised on the East Side of St. Paul and graduated from Harding High School. Nancy was the youngest of four children.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Mabel N. Hoye (née Mattison); her father, William J. Hoye; her brother, Charles “Chuck” Francis Hoye; and her sister, Susan Ann Sundheim (née Hoye).

She is survived by her brother, William Marshall Hoye Jr.; her husband, Daniel Wayne Olson; her daughters, Mandee Nicole Drews (Karl) and Colleen Joyce Sattre (Jason); her sons, Elliott Nathan Olson (Kati), Matthew Ethan Olson, and Jeffrey Lance Olson (Neha); her grandsons, Isak Terje Olson and Drew Haakon Olson; and her granddaughter, Clara Grace Olson.

Nancy was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, and developed a love for the country during visits to her grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins in western Wisconsin. Shortly after marrying Dan, the two moved to southeastern Minnesota, settling in and around the Wabasha area. Nancy never held a secular job after marriage; however, she faithfully and conscientiously fulfilled her role as wife, mother, and homemaker.

Nancy was known for taking a genuine interest in others and striking up conversations—sometimes even with complete strangers. On an overnight train trip from Minnesota to Whitefish, Montana, her family fell asleep listening to her cheerfully chatting with a fellow passenger. The next morning, they awoke to find her still deep in conversation—with an entirely new seatmate. Nancy insisted she had slept, but her family was convinced she had talked all night.

She was also known for her delicious home-cooked meals, a favorite being her pot roast—so good, it was said to “tickle your stomach.” It wasn’t uncommon for friends and neighbors to stop by the Olson home around suppertime, hoping to join the family for dinner.

There was an ongoing joke around Wabasha about the Olson family breakfasts. When schoolmates or coworkers asked the Olson children what they’d eaten that morning, they often described meals that sounded like something out of a restaurant: eggs, oatmeal with berries and walnuts, French toast, or pancakes—each served with bacon or sausage, fresh fruit, and a piece of buttered toast on a separate plate with peanut butter, honey, or jam, neatly cut into four equal sections. There was always a glass of orange juice, a glass of water, and a plate of Shaklee vitamins for good measure (Nancy was a devoted fan of Shaklee). The response was usually a mix of laughter, disbelief, and mild jealousy.

Nancy loved gardening. In the summertime, you could often find her outside tending to her flower and vegetable gardens. A well-worn Jung Seed Company catalog was never far from reach.

Nancy had a strong Christian faith and endeavored to live her life in harmony with the teachings and example of her King and Savior, Jesus Christ, and his heavenly Father, Jehovah. She worked hard to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit, practicing and teaching her children to display the fruitage of the spirit described in Galatians 5:22—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, and self-control. One of her favorite scriptures, prominently displayed in her home, was 3 John 1:4: “No greater joy do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth.”

Her family holds strong faith that she remains lovingly in God’s memory, awaiting the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise at Luke 23:43: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” 

A celebration of Nancy’s life will be held at 12:30 PM on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 161 Whitten St., Winona. A luncheon and reception will follow at Signatures in Winona.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Nancy’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.