Helen Olsvik

Helen Olsvik, 97, Two Harbors, died Sunday, July 21, 2024 at Aspirus-Lake View Hospital.

Helen was born April 20, 1927 to Gust and Esther (Backlund) Gustafson in Two Harbors, where she was a life-long resident. After graduating from high school in 1945, she attended training at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis and in 1949 was registered as an x-ray technician. Returning to Two Harbors, she worked at the Duluth Clinic for several years, and later at Lake View Hospital for 29 years, until retiring in 1989. She married John D. “Red” Olsvik on December 9, 1950 and they enjoyed over 55 years together before his death in 2006. 

Helen was a member of Emmanuel Lutheran Church, where she was baptized, confirmed and married, and an associate member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She was also a member of the Peacemakers and Northstar Quilting Groups. In her earlier years she enjoyed traveling and camping with Red and her daughters, and more recently her interests were quilting, gardening, reading, baking and Lake View Fitness Center.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a brother, Eugene Gustafson; and a sister, Marion Johnson.

She is survived by her daughters, Nancy (Rich) Ojard, Barbara (Alec) Staffon, Sally (Dana) Murphy, Amy Mehl, and Julie (Chris) Olsvik-Santero; grandchildren, Nels and Bjorn Ojard, Amanda Yadav, Leif Staffon, Ryan and Danielle Murphy, Jesse Weideman, Clint Glenn, and Lindsey Olson; nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Violet Smalley; and sister-in-law, Gwenne Gustafson.

 In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Two Harbors Public Library or the Lutheran Church of your choice.

Private services will be held.