Mary T. Olinger, 89, Dickinson, died Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at St. Joseph’s Hospital & Health Center, Dickinson. Mary’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, April 1, 2013 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Todd Kreitinger as the celebrant. Interment will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery, Hettinger. Visitation will be on Sunday from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., with Deacon Ron Keller presiding.
Mary Kessel was born April 3, 1923 in Billings County of North Dakota, daughter to Frank and Clara (Martian) Kessel. Mary attended school in Belfield when her family moved there in 1927. For many years, she worked as a house keeper in the Great Falls, Mont. While in Montana, she gave birth to her daughter Shirlene and eventually moved to Belfield in 1950. She was working at St. Anne’s Nursing Home in Dickinson when she met her future husband, Andrew Olinger. They married in 1960 and moved to the Olinger farmstead in Bucyrus, N.D. She cherished the big farm house and loved having family join them for holidays. Andy passed away in 1969, but she remained on the farmstead until 1979 when she moved to Reeder, N.D. She later entered nursing homes in Richardton and lastly St. Benedict’s in Dickinson.
Mary enjoyed playing cards, reading, and putting together puzzles. She was blessed with the musical ability to play the piano by ear and greatly enjoyed entertaining people with her musical talents. Nursing home residents were so happy to hear her play the old songs that they had grown up listening to. Her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She was so very proud of her daughter and her grandchildren, who she spoiled whenever she could. Mary will always be remembered as a strong willed person who was dedicated to her Catholic faith and the family she loved.
She is survived by her daughter, Shirlene Axtman, Bismarck; two grandchildren, Jake Axtman, Bismarck, and Jaylene Axtman, Bismarck; two sisters, Agatha (Floyd) Higgins, Portland, Ore. and Florence Boelow, Portland, Ore.; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; eight brothers, Frederick, Ignaitius “Nute”, George, Leo, Richard, Leontius, Alois and Nicodemus; and two sisters, Agnes Halstead and Angie Romine.
