SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA – Ella Rauter Olson, 83, passed away August 29, 2026, following a courageous battle with lymphoma.
A celebration of Ella’s life will be held at 11:00 AM Friday, September 11, at First Presbyterian Church in Spirit Lake. The service will also be livestreamed at fpcspiritlake.org/stream. Ella and her late husband, Gary, will be laid to rest October 24 at South Beef River Lutheran Cemetery.
Born August 7, 1943, in Donaten, Poland, Ella was the daughter of David and Ottilie Henke Rauter. Her family came to the United States as refugees in 1952, beginning a new chapter that would shape Ella’s lifelong compassion for people seeking safety, opportunity and belonging.
Ella married Gary Jerome Olson on August 25, 1963, at South Beef River Lutheran Church near Osseo, Wisconsin. Their marriage lasted more than 61 years, and they raised three children: John, Timothy and Gretchen.
As Gary served as a Lutheran pastor, Ella became his steadfast partner in ministry. The family lived and served in communities across Minnesota and Iowa, and Ella continued pursuing her own education wherever they went. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Morningside University in 1979, accomplishing that goal while raising a family and supporting congregational life.
Ella also built a varied career in business and public service. Her work included membership sales for the Better Business Bureau, managing an office for a congressional campaign, overseeing Allen Hospital’s Occupational Health Clinic and helping manage the couple’s rental properties.
Her Christian faith was expressed most clearly through hospitality. Ella and Gary welcomed numerous refugee families and others needing a safe place to stay. Their efforts included sponsoring Vietnamese and Romanian refugees, with some living in the family parsonage as they established new lives in the United States.
Ella wanted everyone entering her home to feel welcomed, valued and cared for. She carried that same spirit into her friendships, church involvement and everyday encounters, continually encouraging people who felt overlooked or discouraged.
Gary and Ella retired to Spirit Lake in 2017 and became active members of First Presbyterian Church. Ella enjoyed singing harmony, spending time with family and friends, exploring thrift stores and decorating spaces with warmth and personality.
She will be remembered as a devoted, strong and generous woman whose faith was demonstrated through years of kindness, perseverance and service to others.
Survivors include her son, John and his wife, Peggi Olson; daughter, Gretchen Olson Kopp; grandchildren Kasey and Trevor Rohwer, Carter and Samantha Olson, Abby and Darrion Webber, Emily Olson, Eleanor Kopp and Eli Kopp; great-grandchildren Mara and Rece Rohwer; sister Lilli and her husband, Alvin Gross; brother Paul and his wife, Linda Rauter; brother-in-law Bruce and his wife, Sue Olson; and numerous other relatives and friends.
Ella was preceded in death by her husband, Gary; son, Tim Olson; son-in-law, Sacha Kopp; parents, David and Ottilie Rauter; brother, Gerhard Rauter; sisters Herta Boyle and Lydia Clements; and several brothers- and sisters-in-law.
Turner Jenness Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. To view Ella’s complete obituary, share a memory or send condolences, please click here.
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