Georgiana “Georgie” Rosemary Olson, 89, of Brookings, SD, passed away Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Neighborhoods at Brookview in Brookings.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 29, at Ascension Lutheran Church, Brookings, SD. Visitation will be held prior to the funeral from 12 to 1 p.m. at the church. Rude’s Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Georgiana had a passionate request: Please do not send flowers. In her own words, “Children can’t eat flowers.”
Georgiana Rosemary Stroup was born on Nov. 28, 1935, in Oak Park, IL, the daughter of George and Rose (Flynn) Stroup. She grew up in Maywood, IL, and attended Proviso High School in Maywood, where she graduated in 1953. She continued her education at General Beadle College in Madison, SD.
Georgiana was united in marriage to Ronald Olson on Sept. 10, 1954, in Chester, SD. They had four children: Paula, Eileen, Ken, and Karen. They also had foster children, including foster-daughter, Shirley.
Georgiana and Ronald owned and operated the Pizza Den in Madison, SD, from 1965 to 1966 and then bought and operated Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge in Brookings, SD, to present. They also purchased the Purple Cow and renamed it the Barrel Drive Inn, operating it from 1980 to 1999.
She enjoyed reading history and spending time with family, and traveling to their home on Molokai, Hawaii, for 40 years. She had the special gift of gab.
Georgiana was a member of Ascension Lutheran Church. She was especially proud of her endowment scholarships to the South Dakota State University Nursing program and to Dakota State University’s Special Education Program. She also donated a marker for “Potter’s Field” at Greenwood Cemetery to honor the impoverished, unclaimed, or unknown. She was a passionate advocate for Brookings PFLAG.
Georgiana is survived by her children, Paula (Jim) Meyer, Eileen (Gary) Iversen, Ken (Kris) Olson, and Karen (Mel) Hernandez; 11 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Rose Stroup; her husband, Ronald Olson; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Orrin and Emelyn Olson; her stepfather-in-law, Harry Ihlen; and foster-daughter, Shirley.
Condolences may be sent to the family through www.rudesfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to:
n The Brookings Backpack Project, 908 Hope Drive, Brookings, SD 57006
https://brookingsbackpackproject.org/
n Feeding Brookings, 2030 Third Street, Brookings, SD 57006
https://www.feedingbrookings.org/
