Walter Oleen

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 11 AM at Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca with Rev. Stephen Blenkush officiating. Interment will follow at Borgholm Cemetery near Bock. Visiation will be from 5 - 7 PM on Wednesday at the funeral home and 1 hour prior at the church on Thursday. Walter Burdette Oleen was born June 2nd, 1917, to Gustaf and Anna Adell (“Della” Anderson) Oleen in rural Milaca, Minnesota. He attended rural schools in Mille Lacs County and received a diploma from Carlton County. He went to work for area farmers at a young age. During the Depression he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCCs) clearing brush in the Onamia area. On July 7, 1940, he married Virginia Carlson at Zion Lutheran Church in Milaca. For thirty-five years he raised a registered Holstein herd and they owned and operated the Holmcrest Holstein Farm north of Bock. He served as president of the Bock creamery for several years and also served on the Bock school board and Emanuel Lutheran Church council. In 1975 he retired and dispersed his herd to another Minnesota Registered Holstein breeder before moving to a home on Knife Lake north of Mora. He served on the church council at Grace Lutheran Church and was a member of the Kanabec Historical Association and The Dala Heritage Society, For sixteen years he and Virginia spent their winters in Mesa, Arizona, and their summers in Minnesota. In 2002, they moved to Leawood, Kansas to be closer to their daughter. In retirement, Walter was an avid reader and especially enjoyed biographies of political figures. He also played on horseshoe and bowling leagues and was forever a Twins fan. Walter was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 67 years, Virginia, in 2007, a daughter in infancy, sisters Larona Dow and Dorothy Blomquist, and three brothers, Raymond, George, and Gordon. Walter is survived by his daughter, MerriKay, and son- in-law, Jeff Burkey, of Leawood, Kansas, two step-grandsons, Joel (Debbie) of Harrison Twp, MI and David (Julie) Burkey of Kalamazoo, MI, and five great grandchildren, Cole, Raeann, Madeline, Joseph, and Samuel as well as a sister, Helen (Wayne) Molin of New Brighton; sisters-in-law, Joyce Oleen and Mae DeVries of Milaca, and Arlene Rice of Nisswa, and godchildren, Karen and Kurt Oleen, Carol Nelson, Thomas DeVries and Kristen Heitke.