Thelma M. Olsen

Thelma was born in St. Louis, Missouri on November 8, 1907. She passed to her eternal reward on October 25, 2001.

Born to James and Edie Bate, Thelma was the third of three children. She had two older brothers, Charles and Clyde.

The family moved from St. Louis to Santa Monica, California while Thelma was still a young girl.

Her first work experience was in milinery; where she made ladies fine hats.

By the Second World War, she was a working cosmetologist on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. Among her many rich and famous clients of the time, the one she spoke of as one of her fondest memories was the mother of Lucille Ball. After the war, this was where she met the love of her life, Sigurd Olsen, who had his own automotive repair business on the Sunset Strip.

They were married and had a son. In the early 1950's they moved out of Los Angeles and went to the San Bernardino Mountains. The 50's were spent at home as most mothers of the time did. In the 1960's, however, mother returned to work as a cook in the Rialto Public School District; ending her career there as the head cook at one of the elementary schools cafeterias that served three elementary schools.

Following the death of her husband in 1970, Thelma led an active solitary life for many years. She stayed in the greater San Bernardino area until 1989, when she moved at age 82 to Seattle, Washington to be close to her family. She continued to live on her own until 1997 when her health no longer allowed her the freedom and independence she so loved. So, at that time she moved in with her son's family and spent her remaining years surrounded by her family.

Her son, S?ren R. Olsen and his wife Carmelita survive Thelma. She is also survived by six grandchildren: S?ren Olsen II, Kryst?n Olsen, Frankie Olsen, Patty Baldwin, Tiffney Olsen, and Jessica Olsen; and six great-grandchildren: Kurstyn Olsen, Muriah Olsen, Veronica Baldwin, Christian Baldwin, Amber Olsen, and S?ren Olsen III.

Thelma is also survived by two nephews: Phillip and Chris Bate and one niece: Donna Stinson. There are grand and great-grand nieces and nephews spread far and wide across the country.

In the pictures at the top and left you can see mother at several stages in her life. The picture at the top was taken at Patty's wedding in 1998 when she was 91. The top left is a family portrait with ''Grammy'' surrounded by all of her grandchildren plus my wife and myself. This was taken in 1988 when mother was 81. The middle left picture was taken at Grandma and Grandpa Bate's Golden Wedding Anniversary in 1950. It is Sig and Thelma holding me. Mother was a ''fabulous 42'' at the time. The bottom picture was taken in the mid 1960's at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Mother at 58 is at the left with Aunt Thelma, Uncle Mack, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa. This was mother's ''heyday'' time of life when she was active with family, church, school, working, and life in general.

She was the last survivor of her generation in our larger family and all who loved her will miss her greatly!