Olive Sanborn, 98,, has passed away, leaving behind a family and community who loved her dearly.
What we offer here is gratitude wrapped in remembrance.
Olive's story began in 1917, and unfolded across the years that followed.
Olive held deeply to the Presbyterian faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew her best.
What is held in faith is rarely lost.
Olive Sanborn, 98 of Hurley died Monday, February 15, 2016 at the Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home, Viborg. Funeral services will be at 1:30pm Friday, February 19, 2016 at Harmony Presbyterian Church, Hurley with burial at the Fort Benton Cemetery, Fort Benton, Montana. Arrangements by Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home. Olive Claire Carnahan was born in Fort Benton, Montana on March 12, 1917. She was the child of John and Clara (Withee) Carnahan. The family moved to South Dakota when she was a small child. She started school in the Withee School District #22 east of Hurley and she graduated from Hurley High School in 1934. In 1939 she and Elmer Sanborn were married and they farmed near Hurley for some years. During those years she continued her education and graduated from Freeman Junior College. She enrolled at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, her dream always having been to be a teacher. Her first teaching experiences were in a couple of country schools in Turner County. In 1964 she and her husband moved to Montana where he farmed and she taught in the home town school for several years before moving to Libby, Montana where she taught in the Libby School system. She graduated from the Montana University system with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with majors in Education, History, and Social Sciences. She also continued graduate studies and earned her Masters Degree in Education with a major field of Art from the University of Montana. She returned to Freeman, SD to teach in the Junior College where she set up and began a formal art department at the college, while also teaching history and government. She and her husband continued to spend their summers in Montana and finally moved back to Montana permanently. Eventually they retied to live in Hurley where her husband, Elmer died in 1994. After that time she spent several summers in Montana and enjoyed several trips. She was a member of the Harmony Presbyterian Church and served on Session and was active in the women's organization of the church. She loved teaching and she loved flowers. For many years her home was filled with African Violets, and in her yard she raised Iris which created pleasure for all to see.
