Olive Hegstrom

Sioux City - Olive Marie Hegstrom, 83, of Sioux City, formerly of Lawton, Iowa, passed away Sunday, May 4, 2014, at a local nursing home.
Services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at Community Presbyterian Church in Lawton. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Olive was born on June 18, 1930, in Springville, Iowa, to Esther (Rockwell) Workman and William Workman. She graduated from Gaza High School.
Olive was united in marriage to Gene Hegstrom on April 16, 1952, and they were blessed with four children, Paul, Perry, Rhonda and Brenda. After several years of being a homemaker and working alongside Gene during the farming and trucking years, Olive then assisted Gene in the insurance business. She later housed German employees from Schaeff Namco, and was an employee at Michael's and Burkes, J.C. Penney’s, and Pred’s Coats.
Olive was a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She had a kind and gentle spirit that enabled her to give advice when asked, without interfering. There was always a sparkle in her eyes to keep her kids wondering what she was thinking. If you ask any of her grandchildren, they all would say that no one could bake chocolate chip cookies like Grandma, her cookies were always in demand. If the grandkids were coming to town or if their parents were going to visit, it was a given for Olive to provide an ice cream bucket filled with a fresh batch of her cookies. Christmas was the highlight of her year, and she began preparing several months in advance when all her family was expected home. Traditions began with daughters and granddaughters coming over to bake dozens upon dozens of cookies and sweets, then would follow with sons and grandsons included to prepare the traditional popcorn balls. A special present she gave each of her great-grandchildren in the year of their birth, was a wooden stool that was designed especially for them, but when asking her what she wanted the reply was always the same, "I want my family home, it’s the best present you can give me."
When she did relax, you could find her embroidering towels for the next grandchild’s wedding or sitting in her recliner doing fill-in-word puzzles. Olive taught Sunday School when her children were young, and also assisted the Presbyterian Women with dinner and service functions.
Those left to honor her memory include her children, Paul Hegstrom and his wife, Judy of Lawton, their children, Brandon (Brandi) Hegstrom, Sawyer and Landri, Ryan (Amy) Hegstrom, Walker and Avery, Kourtni (David) Coble, Ashli (Jay) Agard, Kenten and Laikyn, Perry Hegstrom and his wife, Patty of Moberly, Mo., their children, Jay (Toni) Hegstrom, Caine, Daniel, Trella, and Sofia, Rob (Jessica) Hegstrom, Skylar and Brooks, Misty (Jeremy) Davidson, Renzlee, Falyn, Kreedan, and Pyper, Rhonda Boucher of Turlock, Calif., and her children, Autumn (Chris) Mower, Brynn and Shay, Summer (Darin) Homen and their children, Ashton and Kindal, Brenda (Troy) Groves of Lawton and their children, Amber (Kory) Love, Kamden, Scott, and Jackson and Kyler Groves; a brother, Robert "Bob" Workman of What Cheer, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Roberta Small of Rembrandt, Iowa, and Joyce Corrie of Anthon, Iowa; several nieces and nephews; and her friend of many years, Julie Black.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Gene Hegstrom on Dec. 26, 1990; parents, William and Esther Workman; her sister, Rachel Workman; sister-in-law, Barbara Workman; and brothers-in-law, Wencil Small and Wallace Corrie.
Memorials may be made in her honor to the Community Presbyterian Church.