Illa Jean (Olson) Glandt, 91, Valley City, ND passed away peacefully May 23, 2025. Her celebration of life will be 11:00 AM, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at Faith Lutheran Church, Valley City. Visitation will be at the church on Tuesday morning beginning at 9:30. The service will be live streamed, then archived, on a link provided along with her obituary on her tribute page at www.lerudmathias.com. An online guestbook is available there as well.
Illa Jean was born on July 9, 1933, to Adolph “Casey” and Ruth (Linder) Olson at their farm home at Coleharbor, ND and was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She attended first grade in a one room schoolhouse before moving with her parents to Valley City, ND in 1940. There, she attended Ritchie Elementary School and graduated from Valley City High School.
Illa married Myron Glandt on November 24, 1950. She worked at Ludvigson Accounting and Valley Sales for many years. In 1972, she started working at the Sears catalog store, became manager in 1975 and purchased the store in 1983. In 1992, she sold the business and retired. Illa and Myron purchased a lake cabin on Lake Lida where they enjoyed many summers. Myron passed away March 28, 1997.
She was a member of Faith Lutheran Church where she served as treasurer of WELCA, attended bible study, circle and prayer groups.
In 2002, she started the Dakota Wild Roses Chapter of the Red Hat Society and served as their queen for eleven years. She was a volunteer for Hospice, Mercy Hospital and the Sheyenne Care Center. Illa was a member of the “Jolly Dozen” and “The Bunch” birthday clubs. She loved birds (which she named), painting rocks and flowers. She enjoyed having coffee with friends and playing cards.
She loved her family and getting everyone together. Illa is survived by her daughters, Jane (Vern Cavey) Skolness and Carla Leingang; her son, Paul (Beth) Glandt; daughter-in-law, Gloria Glandt; grandchildren, Tom (Tara) Glandt, Casey (Randy) Glandt, Lindsey (Clint) Green, Nick Skolness, Kelby (Kevin) Hovey, Kelsey Leingang, Brooke Glandt and Brandon Glandt; great grandchildren, Sam, Mya and Anna Glandt, Levi, Max and Emmet Hovey, Kinslee, Collins, and Kenna Glandt, Lincoln and Sawyer Green, Ryker and Cannon Skolness.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; son, Terry; brothers, Darrell (Eleanor) Olson and Stan (Dorothy) Olson; sons-in-law, Dennis Leingang and David Siedschlag.