Elvera Leona Free, daughter of John and Anna (Meyer) Free was born on September 14, 1927.  She was baptized as an infant at Trinity Lutheran Church and confirmed on May 16, 1941 at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairbury, Nebraska by Reverend Rudolph Norden.  Her confirmation memory verse was taken from Psalm 143, verse 10 “Teach me to do thy will for thou art my God.  Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

On January 9, 1947 she was united in marriage to Ralph Knapper at Bremen, Kansas by Reverend Paul Ludwig.  To this union were born two daughters, Barbara Diane and Karen Kay.  They lived in Fairbury for a short while before moving to Gilead where they ran a grocery/meat locker store for about two years.  They moved back to Fairbury for a short while before settling on a farm ten miles west of Fairbury.  Elvera worked alongside Ralph for about eight years, then moved back to Fairbury where they lived and worked.  In 1975 they put up a modular home at 1622 F Street.  Ralph died in 1976 from melanoma cancer in Omaha, Nebraska with Elvera by his side.

Elvera worked in many fields including waitressing at Elgert’s Supper Club, bookkeeper at Robert’s Dairy and finally as a bookkeeper for Rhoode Packing Company.

In 1979 she met Dale Olson, they were married on September 1, 1979 at Grace Lutheran Church by Pastor Norman Bangert.  Elvera continued working until her retirement in 1989 at which time she then worked with Dale in the home rental business until 2006 when they sold the rental houses.  Elvera and Dale enjoyed traveling, visiting all states in the Continental United States and also some provinces in Canada.  Dale died in 2013 from dementia and complications of stroke.

Elvera is survived by her daughters Barbara (Dale) Andersen of Lincoln, Nebraska and Karen (Bryan) Kempton of Salina, Kansas.  Two step children Janet (Lee) Robbins of Yates Center, Kansas  and Donald Olson.  Grandsons Brian (LaDonna) Johnson of Lincoln, Nebraska;  A.J. (Kari) Rizor of Gunter, Texas and Todd (Jamie) of Lincoln, Nebraska.  Step grandchildren Elizabeth, Melissa, Melanie, Sarah, Jennifer, Riley and Craig,  many great grandchildren and one great-great grandson.

Preceding her in death were her parents, John & Anna Free; husbands Ralph Knapper and Dale Olson; brothers Edward, Raymond, and Melvin Free; sisters Elda Janssen and Gladys Harms.

Services held at Grace Lutheran Church in Fairbury with burial in the Grace Lutheran cemetery west of Gladstone, Nebraska on January 17, 2025.

The family wishes to acknowledge a special Thank You to the Cedarwood Staff of Fairbury for their constant love and care and to Dr. Shumard for his continued care and sense of humor with our Mom.

God called and Mom answered.