Russell Olmsted

Russell Olmsted Dies Saturday At Newcastle

Russell Olmsted, 60 principal of Lusk Elementary and Junior High School from August 1, 1970, until ill health forced him to retire early this summer, died Saturday night about 10:30 at Weston County Memorial. He learned in January that he had cancer and made two trips to Houston, Tex., for surgery and treatments while on leave from the school.

Funeral service was held this Wednesday morning at 10:00 at the chapel of the McColley Funeral Home in Newcastle to where Mr. and Mrs. Olmsted had moved later in August to be near a brother. Interment was at the Black Hills National Cemetery at Sturgis, S.D. Pallbearers from this community were Henry Wasserburger Jr., Jim Seppala and Gerald Bardo.

Mr. Olmsted was born April 15, 1913, on a farm near Carthage, S. D. to Russell W. and Sarah E. Olmsted. He lived at Argonne, S.D. from 1913 to 1935 when he moved to Bancroft, S.D.

August 7, 1936, he married Lois Hoover at Bancroft and they made their home there until 1940 when they moved to Leola, S.D. In 1943 they returned to Bancroft. Mr. Olmsted enlisted in the U. S. Marines in 1944 and served in World War II until his discharge in January 1946. He returned to Bancroft and in 1947 moved his family to Belle Fourche, S.D. where he was music teacher in the school system later becoming principal of the Junior High school. For eleven years he was a furniture salesman.

For many years he was choir director of the United Methodist Church in Belle Fourche. At Lusk he directed the Congregational Church Choir for a time and a year ago last fall had reorganized the adult class at the Congregational Church and been its teacher until he became ill.

Mr. Olmsted was a graduate of Dakota State College, Madison S.D., and Black Hills College, Spearfish, S.D. and was a member of the Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity.

Survivors include his wife, one daughter, Mrs. Val (Connie) Sauer, Covina, Calif.; two sons, Gary, Spokane, Wash., and Kent of Newcastle; three sisters; Jenet Richardson, Pocatello, Ida., Frances Lusk, Howard, S.D. and Charlotte Taylor, Florence, Mont.; two brothers, Jay Olmsted, Hemet, Calif. and George Olmsted, Newcastle; and three grandchildren. His parents, one sister, Evelyn Sorheim and one infant brother died previously.

Memorials to the American Cancer Society and the United Methodist Church, Belle Fourche have been established with McColley Funeral Home in charge.

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