A Special Lady Who Lived a Long Time

I don't think many of us plan to live to 100.

Once, I remarked to Oliver Ullman, who said that he plans to live to that ripe old age and beyond, "But all your friends will be dead."

He shook that off like the great Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers did with his catcher.

"I'll make new friends," said Mr. Ullman, who is well-known in this community as a colorful outdoor chef.

He just might do it.

I won't!

One who did it for sure was the amazing Olga Markovich, who died last week at 101.

We met by accident.

I was younger then, in my mid-forties, when I interviewed her husband, Albert, whom almost everyone called "Markie," at their residence in Warroad.

Others had less flattering names, which comes with his profession, which was a game warden.

Later, it was changed to Conservation Officer.

In the 1970s, when Markie was in his prime, I stopped at Roger Hockstedler's place at the Clear River Forestry Station on a rainy November afternoon on the way to Marvins.

It was Marvins then just like LifeCare Roseau Manor was Sheltering Oaks back then.

Markie was visiting with Roger at the kitchen table, and he had this great intensity that quickly caught my attention.

I didn't stay long.

It was raining hard and would shortly turn to snow.

That was the day of the great blizzard that killed two brothers who were deer hunting and got lost in the evening snowstorm.

Sometime in the 20th Century, Olga adopted me. Never could figure that out.

I'm a scamp, and her son-in-law Warner Hendrickson knew me and should have said something like, "Count the silverware, Olga, and hide your purse."

She took a liking to me, and I was blessed by her friendship for at least 25 plus years.

There are scores of others who feel the same way - her children and everyone else touched by her kindness, wit, and generosity.

Their special remembrances came by texts and phone calls this past week.

Iris (Salmonson) Pederson texted the following comments:

"I would just like to share a few memories of the amazing Olga Markovich. I was blessed to spend several wonderful visits in Olga's home. She always seemed truly delighted to have company visit her. She was amazing at making everyone feel so loved and cared for.

"I was so impressed when she'd share stories of her life. She had so many adventures and truly lived life to the fullest. I treasure all of her beautiful painted cards and artwork that have been shared with me. My life is truly enriched by having known Olga."

Another text was from Mike Yost, an unfamiliar name possibly because he didn't arrest or ticket me.

Mr. Yost is a retired Minnesota State Trooper now living in Texas.

Here's his text:

"This is Mike Yost in loving memory of Olga Markovich. We met in 1973 when I moved to Warroad. I knew her, first thru Markie. We started off as friends and came to love each other. The older we got, the closer we became. She was a stubborn, yet loving person. I look forward to seeing her again, in Heaven. Friends for over 60 years and we will love her forever."

Jackie Erickson, a much younger fan of Olga's, texted her great appreciation for her late friend.

"I have never met anyone that could make you feel so cared for. She was wise too and missed nothing. A few years ago she overcame her childhood fear of horses to pet my horse and even eventually give him a carrot. She said she had been kicked by the milkman's horse as a young girl and been terrified ever since."

Last weekend, Olga's youngest daughter, Kate Amsbaugh, was at her mother's house and shared these comments by phone.

"What I would like you to know about Mother is how smart and worldly she was. In all of my nonprofit work, if I had a question, Mother had the answer," she said, adding that the nonprofit work was either issue-based or political.

"Throughout my life, Mother was very smart."

Just a week before her mother died, Kate recalled the brilliance of this amazing lady.

"We were still talking about politics and the environment. She was very smart to the very end."

Then came her comments about her son Elliot, now in his early thirties, who was the luckiest guy.

"Mother loved him beyond. She was a great grandmother, and Elliot has wonderful memories of their time together."

Kate laughed when it was pointed out that her mother had been very kind to a total rogue - me.

"Mother had that way. She was kind and always saw the best in everyone."

Last Friday, Len Wenzel, a retired Roseau High School English teacher, commented on how Olga had always treated him so graciously.

"She, of course, was a great person and she didn't forget about other people. Anytime there was a holiday and she knew I was a bachelor and usually alone, she made sure I got an invite."

Sometimes, he showed up and Olga treated him like family.

"It was a fun time," he said.

The other thing he particularly recalled was every so often she would send him handmade greeting cards.

"Beautiful cards! And always she would close with, 'I love you and Jesus does, too.'"

He laughed when it was noted that many people received similar cards with "I love you, and Jesus does, too."

There was instant laughter.

"I thought I was special."

Len is special and that was Olga's style - making you feel special.

"Well, that was her thing," he said. "She made people feel special and what I know of her history, oh my goodness, she was incomparable. She led a remarkable life."

Yes, she did.

And her son, Mark, who's married to Penelope, came home as often as he could from Rosswell, Georgia.

"He cut Mother's hair, and she was so darned proud of him," said her daughter Denise, adding that when both of her parents were alive, they'd travel to visit Mark and Penelope.

No doubt, Markie and Olga returned home with fresh haircuts.

There was no topping Olga, who became a grandma to Jesse Hendrickson's children, Jaxon and Makenna.

"When they were playing outside, Mom came out and cheered them on. After they finished playing, they'd come into her kitchen for snacks.

"Jaxon loved sausage so Mom always had it on hand. Jaxon and Makenna considered her their grandmother."

Pat Hockstedler has her favorite memories of Olga.

"If Olga wanted to give you a thank you, it was always done by hand and genuine from her heart using her beautiful artwork."

On one occasion, Olga hand-painted geese in flight on an old milk container.

"I love animals and Olga knew it," said Pat appreciatively.

I have no idea what perogies are, but Olga did a crackerjack job making them from scratch without a recipe.

"She always tried to teach me to roll the dough, but I could never do it like her," said Denise, forever impressed with her siblings.

"John was a professional photographer and has been retired for quite a few years."

He first worked for the Carlson Company before branching out on his own.

"My brother was very good. He was probably written up in a couple of magazines. He did a wonderful job."

And her older sister, Lynn, worked for Homeland Security in Minneapolis before retiring and relocating back to this area.

Olga lived a long time.

All her friends from when she was much younger are probably deceased.

She continually made new friends.

I downed a beer in her honor last Friday evening. It was the best beer I've drunk in a long time.

Cheers, Olga!

Jesus Loves You, Too!