EDWARD OLSZEWSKI obituary

Edward John Olszewski, 67, formerly of Hogeland and Colstrip, died Feb. 10, 2005, at Benefis East Healthcare due to natural causes.

A funeral Mass was scheduled for 11 a.m. today in Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with burial following in Wing Cemetery with military honors.

Rosary was recited Sunday at 7 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook.

Edward (Ed) was born April 21, 1937, at Havre to Adrian and Kathleen (Leinan) Olszewski. He was raised on the Big Flat, graduated from Hogeland High School in 1955 and attended one year at Northern Montana College in Havre. He served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1962 with most of the time in Germany.

He married Myrtle Ridenour in 1975 and they later divorced. Ed was a heavy equipment operator for Williams Construction and Aftadel Construction out of Broadus. He moved to Colstrip, working for Long Construction and then Western Energy for 25 years, until he retired.

Ed raised a nice garden and usually gave a lot of it away. With his apple trees, he'd tell the neighbors to come and pick them. He was a good cook, he baked lefsa, bread, cakes and made wonderful roasted chickens and turkey with stuffing and all. Ed had a wood shop in the backyard and spent a lot of time on craft projects. When he was losing his eyesight to macular degeneration, he moved to Eagles Manor in Great Falls, where he lived until his death.

Survivors include his mother, Kathleen Olszewski of Havre; sister, Elaine (Hugh) Hutton of Sidney; brothers, Joseph (Karen) Olszewski of Mountlake Terrance, Wash., and Clarence (Rita) Olszewski of Zap, N.D.; step-children, Sandy Fettig of Billings, Kathy Moser of Forsyth, Ruth Ridenour of Billings and LeRoy Ridenour of Colstrip; 10 grandchildren; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many friends.

Ed was preceded in death by his father, Adrian Olszewski, in 2002; and his maternal and paternal grandparents.

Memorials may be sent to St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church or one's choice.

Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.