Alta (Cherry) Iona Olmstead

Alta Olmstead, 96, of Moorhead, MN, died Thursday, November 25, 2021, at Sanford Health Medical Center in Fargo.

Alta Iona Colwill  was born January 5, 1925 to Albert and Minnie (Thiel) Colwill in Grant County, MN.

She graduated from Elbow Lake High School and moved to Fergus Falls, MN.  She then moved to Fargo, ND and worked at Lundquist Café.

On March 15, 1947 she married Lawrence (Bud) Olmstead.  They had one daughter, Sandra.

In October 1953, they moved to Oakport Township where they lived until the present time.

Alta had many interests which included gardening, reading, sewing and feeding the wildlife which included turkeys and deer.  The binoculars were never far from reach.  Crocheting and knitting were other passions.  She knitted many afghans which were given to family.  She enjoyed teaching her youngest granddaughter to knit.

Alta and Lawrence loved camping.  They took many trips to the West Coast and Peace Gardens.  Lawrence built a car top carrier for their 1960 Oldsmobile to carry the tent and other camping supplies.  He later built a pickup camper for making it a little less work and more comfortable.  This also allowed them to bring along their motorcycles.

She enjoyed having her grandkids come and stay for a week or longer during the summers.  She felt her oldest granddaughter should know how to drive a straight shift car.  No matter how many times the engine was killed, she always had encouraging words until success was reached.  She was always present at school programs, concerts, recitals, gymnastic meets and graduations.

Many stray cats found their forever home with her.  Even abandoned bunnies, a featherless baby robin and a pigeon that had been struck by a car found a good life under her care.  A doe gave birth in their yard and put the fawn behind a flower pot at the front of the house where her cat kept watch over it.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra (Roy) Goodin, West Fargo, ND; four grandchildren, Nichole and Ryan of West Fargo, ND, Eric, Fairborn, OH and Lindsay (Rich) Enger, Bemidji, MN; two great-granddaughters, Kyla and Brynn; sisters Marian (Dean) Olmstead, Boise, ID, Frances Gran, Moorhead, MN and several nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, Merle Colwill and sister, Joyce Blouin, and a niece and a nephew.