Lucille Mary (Doris) Olson

Lucille (Doris) Olson of Terrace Heights was a fiercely independent woman who was born on May 5, 1925 in Jamestown, North Dakota and moved to Yakima in 1959. Lucille was known for her beautiful roses and lilacs, her big heart for stray animals, and her Terrace Heights apple and cherry orchards, which she cultivated and gave to neighbors and friends along with her husband of 74 years, Oscar Burman “O.B.” Olson.

Lucille attended Jamestown schools, leaving in the ninth grade, when her mother divorced and left her to care full-time for her two younger siblings—Jim Doris, Julie and her older brothers, Joe and John. Lucille was known for her quick wit and her sassy, magnetic charm.

During WWII, she became a “Rosie the Riveter” or, more precisely in her words, a “Wendy the Welder” for Boeing in Bremerton, Washington, leaving her kiss prints and phone number in red lipstick in the cockpit of each completed plane. When her husband of 74 years, O.B. Olson (who preceded her in death in January of 2006), returned from his South Pacific tour of duty as an Army paratrooper, he walked into the local pub and fought his friend for the right to steal his best girl back (or so the family story goes), and their passionate relationship was legendary. Lucille and O.B. met and married in Jamestown, North Dakota on August 30, 1945.

Lucille was also known by family and friends for her fiery strength and wily stubborn streak that belied her petite and diminutive size. Even into her eighties, she recovered from surgery for a broken hip in Good Samaritan Rehabilitation Center; she outpaced men half her age, challenged them daily to work harder on their own physical therapy, and flirted with her young staff.

Lucille is survived by her daughter Joyce (Olson) Massello of North Billerica, Massachusetts and her son Ozzie Olson of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She is also survived by her lifelong friend and former neighbor Vivian Russell. She also leaves behind five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, as well as her loving and devoted caretaker of the past decade, Barbara Jaeger, and devoted Terrace Heights neighbors, Mike and Patti Polo.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.keithandkeith.com.