Olive Lehfeldt

Olive Clarice Esby was born at Mercy Hospital in Valley City, ND on September 26, 1938, the only child of Clara Sebby Esby and Oliver Esby. They lived on a farm in Getchel township in ND, and later they moved to Valley City, ND where Olive attended King a one-room school, taught by her mother Clara. In 1951 her family moved to Richmond, CA via train. She was excited about taking the train and moving to California. In Richmond, she attended Trinity Lutheran School where her mother taught until she graduated from the 8th grade. Olive wrote, “The hymn, Jesus Savior Pilot Me has special significance to me because when I graduated from Trinity Lutheran School (the 8th grade) we six students who were the class were told to decide on a class motto. We sat there wondering what would be good so we started looking at hymn titles. I suggested “Jesus Savior Pilot Me”, but some thought that it would be too long. We told the teacher, and he agreed that that was a good one. Since then that hymn has always been special to me, more so now that I appreciate the “stormy weather” that strikes our lives often. The words of the song mean more and the last verse leads to the beginning of eternity.”

Olive went on to Richmond Union High School, where her favorite class was Spanish. She participated in Spanish Club and played string Bass in the symphony. After high school she attended college at Concordia in Seward, NE, pursuing a teachers degree and taking organ lessons. During her college years, she met her future husband, Dale Lehfeldt, while visiting her uncle Martin Sebby on a farm near Fingal, ND. They were secretly engaged her last year of college, as the rule was you couldn’t be engaged and attend school there. They were married in Richmond, CA on June 26, 1960, and then moved to Decator, IL, where she taught school while her husband Dale attended Seminary in Springfield, IL. Next they moved to Akron, OH, for Dale’s vicarage, where their first daughter, Laura was born. Olive continued to teach school in Canton, OH, while Dale was on vicarage. 

After vicarage, they moved back to Springfield, IL, where she continued teaching while Dale finished his final year in Seminary. In 1963 they moved to Haxtun, CO where Dale served as pastor at Immanuel and Faith Lutheran Churches. In Haxtun she played the organ for church, and three more daughters; Deborah, Betty, and Nancy, were born into their family. Her mother Clara retired and joined them in Haxun in 1966 to spend more time with her only daughter and grandchildren. After 7 years in Colorado, they moved to a farm near Fingal, ND, where Olive’s Uncle Martin lived. They stayed with him for a year while Dale finished his bachelor’s degree at Valley City. In 1972, they moved to Bottineau, ND. She continued her role as house wife while Dale served at Our Saviors Lutheran Church and Willow Creek Lutheran Church. While there she started giving piano lessons as well as continuing playing the organ at church. She loved playing the old pipe organ at Willow Creek.

They moved to Lidgerwood, ND, in January 1978 where her husband, Dale, served at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Olive became the church secretary and continued playing the organ at church She also played her string Bass in a symphony orchestra in Wahpeton, ND, 40 miles away. She also joined the Emergency Medical System crew, and enjoyed helping others in need. In 1981, when her first four daughters were all teenagers, she had the wonderful surprise of giving birth to her fifth daughter, Rachael. Shortly thereafter, in the year 1983, her husband, Dale, was called to serve at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Natrona, KS. Eleven years later, in 1994, they moved to Mercedes, TX where they spent another 10 years until Dale retired. Answering one more call in the ministry, they moved to Mexia, TX, where her husband Dale served at a small parish part-time. They settled on an acreage outside of Mexia, and continued living there after retirement. With the help of her daughter Rachael and family, she was able to stay in her own home until her recent illness, hospitalization and rapid decline. On November 5, Olive was called home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Olive and her husband, Dale were born at the same  hospital in Valley City, ND, yet they didn’t meet until their 20’s, and they both took their final breaths at the same hospital, in Waco, TX. 

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husband Dale Lehfeldt and grandson William Brockmueller. Olive is survived by Laura Lehfeldt Deardoff (William) Omaha, NE, Deborah Lehfeldt Johnson (Lewis) Pauls Valley, OK, Betty Lehfeldt Brockmueller ( Joseph) Brandon, SD, Nancy Lehfeldt Pauls Valley, OK, and Rachael Carder (Mitch) Mexia, TX. Grandchildren: William Deardoff, Jonathan Deardoff, Courtnie Johnson Blakemore (Nicholas), Athena Johnson Miles, Michon Brockmueller Charles (Cody), Robert Brockmueller (Ellen), Nyssa Graap Winchell ( Josh), Corey Graap, David Carder, Katlyn Carder, Vash Carder. Great grandchildren: Phillip (PJ) Miles, Aiden Miles, Keegon Blakemore, Ethan Blakemore, Graydon Blakemore, Hazel Blakemore, Aubri Charles, Cody Junior (Cj) Charles, Jace Charles. 

Memorial services for Olive will be held on Saturday, November 15th at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1100 East Commerce St. · Fairfield, TX

In lieu of flowers, Olive requested memorials to be sent to The Lutheran Hour, Lutheran World Relief and/or the Salvation Army.

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