February 17, 2026
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Peggy L. Olson

Mitchellville

By Armstrong Funeral Home
Peggy L. Olson, 85, of Mitchellville, formerly of Ringgold County, died Feb. 7, 2026.

Peggy L. Olson, 85, of Mitchellville, formerly of Ringgold County, died Feb. 7, 2026. (Contributed )

Peggy Louise (Fletcher) Olson was born Feb. 4, 1941, to Everett and Alice (Wimer) Fletcher at home in Ringgold County. The family lived in central and southern Iowa as her father farmed, moving to Diagonal during Peggy’s junior year of high school. It was here that Peggy met Ted Olson. They married on July 5, 1959, just a few months following their graduation from Diagonal High School.

Peggy was a stay-at-home mom as her children grew, but she always seemed to be working to contribute to the household budget.

When Ted left Fareway, he and Peggy bought a small grocery store in Mitchellville and called it Olson Foods. While in the store, Peggy started catering lunches and developing a client base that would follow her for the next 40 years. After leaving the store, she opened Peggy’s Pantry and Catering. It is estimated Peggy served in excess of 2,000,000 meals over her career.

Peggy never really retired, serving senior meals and assisting with Mitchellville Community Center meals and Mitchellville Christian Church Harvest Dinners until her health declined in the last year. Along the way, she was instrumental in the building of the Mitchellville Community Center, serving as a member of the Mitchellville City Council and the Mitchellville Board of Adjustments. She was equally as active in any church she and Ted attended, teaching Sunday school when the kids were small and most recently, raising funds to remodel the kitchen at Mitchellville Christian Church after the church experienced water damage.

Peggy passed away Feb. 7, 2026, with her family by her side.

Left to cherish her memory are her four children: Ted (Jennifer) Olson Jr. and their son Travis (Emily); Shirlye (Sylvester) Gaskin and their sons, Sylvester III (Felisia) and Kyle; Kristina (Tom) Foss and their daughters: Samantha (Patrick) Halsey, Alica (Blair) Billings and Margaret; and Troy Olson and his children, Alexandria (Mark) Clifton and Nicholas (Bailley) and 12 great-grandchildren, the most recent arriving on the day she passed. Additionally, Peggy leaves behind her sister Patricia Bird; brothers, Rich and Tom Fletcher; sisters-in-law: Bonnie Fletcher, Jolene Fletcher, Dorothy Dick, Sue Phipps and Diana Olson; brother-in-law Dale Magee, along with numerous nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues.

Peggy is preceded in death by her loving husband of 66 years, Ted; her parents, Everett and Alice Fletcher; sister Karen Magee; brothers: John, Dave, Ed, Charlie, Larry and Steve; her father- and mother-in-law, Vinnie and Darlene Olson and her brother-in-law John Olson.

A visitation will be held 10 to 11 a.m., with services beginning at 11 a.m., Friday, Feb. 13, at the United Church of Diagonal. Burial is in the Maple Hill Cemetery at Cromwell.

A celebration of life will be held 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Mitchellville Community Center in Mitchellville

Memorials are to the Mitchellville Christian Church and Mitchellville Community Center seniors.

Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr is in charge of the arrangements.