Funeral service will be 11:00 am on Saturday September 30th, 2017 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Pastor Deb Bergstrand will officiate, and burial will follow in the Linden Lutheran Cemetery in rural Hanska.

Visitation will be from 10-11 am on Saturday at the church.

Minnesota Valley Funeral Homes is handling the arrangements.vTo leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook go to: mvfh.org.

Odney is survived by her daughter, Beverly (Bill) Burk of Grand Rapids; sons, Allen (Paulette) Botten of Albert Lea, John (Mary) Botten of Winona, Dale (Linda) Botten of Lake Hanska, Dean (Katie) of rural Hanska; 14 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents Krist and Hanna Hjelmeland, her husband of 49 years, Alfred Botten in 1995; her daughter, Mary Adams; her sisters, Ardis and Helen (Norman) Miller; and her brother, Odvar.

Odney Hjelmeland was born April 6th, 1922 in Bergen, Norway to Krist and Hanna (Vaage) Hjelmeland. Her parents immigrated in 1923 to America through Ellis Island and settled in Hanska. She was a 1940 graduate from Hanska High School. She attended Mankato College and graduated in 1945 with a two year teaching degree. She was hired to teach school at District #75 and taught for four years. On June 9th, 1945, Odney was united in marriage to the love of her life Alfred Botten at the Lake Hanska Church. The couple was blessed with two daughters and four sons whom together they raised on their farm in rural Hanska until 1990 when they moved into Hanska. Odney spent the last 13 years of her life at Ridgeway on 23rd where she enjoyed visiting friends, the employees, and the activities. Besides being a loving mother of six, and helping her husband on the farm, Odney accepted a Kindergarten teaching position in New Ulm School District in 1964 and retired in 1987. Odney, during teaching went back to college to earn her degrees in Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Special Education. Odney had a variety of hobbies that brought joy into her life. She was very artistic, loved carving, oil painting, quilting, crocheting, hardanger, bingo, playing cards, sudoku and watching the Vikings with her family. Odney was active in the 4H, Linden Church, Our Saviors Church, Sons of Norway, DFL and the Historical Society. What brought Odney the most joy was spending time with her family. She loved seeing her children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, hearing what everyone had been doing with their lives. Odney especially enjoyed traveling with Alfred touring the United States, Europe and, returning to Norway five times to visit relatives. She loved the family trips to Leech Lake and Winnibigoshish enjoying the lake and watching the sunsets. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Allina Hospice or the donor’s choice.

Mvfh.org

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