Gwain Anitra Walley Olsen

Gwain Anitra Walley Olsen passed away on October 17, 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas. She was born in Jasper, Texas on May 30, 1948 to Eugenia King Walley and Carl Melton Walley. As a child she lived in Pine Grove, Texas, “down a little dirt road”, as she called it, next to her grandparents’ house. She enjoyed living the country life with fresh vegetables from the garden, milk from her grandparents’ cows, and her Granny’s homemade butter and good ol’ southern cooking. Eventually, her family moved to a house off the main highway across the street from Pine Grove Baptist Church and next door to the four-room school house she attended through the 6th grade. Gwain was very active at the church across the street, serving as a pianist there from the time she was in elementary school until she graduated high school.

Gwain started Newton schools in the 7th grade. She then attended Newton High School where she served as the manager of the basketball teams, was Class President for three years, Yearbook Editor her senior year, an actress in the junior and senior plays, a Future Homemakers of America Officer, was the recipient of the Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award, and was voted Most Talented by her classmates as well as Most Likely to Succeed. She was also the recipient of a college scholarship for promoting the Texas Forestry industry through newspaper articles and speeches at various clubs and TV and radio stations. She loved spending time with friends in high school. She was a great dancer and loved good music all her life. For many years she talked fondly of the many house dance parties she had with her and her brother’s friends.

After graduating from Newton High School in 1966, she attended her freshman year at East Texas Baptist College in Marshall, Texas and then transferred to Sam Houston State University, where she earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration. She taught English, Typing, and Shorthand at Kountze High School. She later worked in various secretarial positions and then supported her family as a stay-at-home mom. She eventually went back to education part-time as a library paraprofessional and started several independent business ventures on the side. Through it all, she remained an extremely talented, creative, and gifted writer. Later in life she wrote short stories, but her favorite genre to write most of her life was poetry. She was a deep thinker and feeler, and her writings reflected that.

Gwain married her husband, Jack Olsen, on January 25, 1975 and was married for forty-seven years. They lived in Lumberton, Texas for most of their lives. She and Jack were very active members of Woodcrest United Methodist Church. She continued to use her musical gift there, playing the piano for the early service on Sunday mornings. She was also the keyboardist for the Woodcrest Praise Team in the late service. She was active in numerous Bible Studies and women's groups there throughout the years. She loved her neighbors in her little neighborhood of Artesian Acres, and would do anything for them. She had the gift of Helps and would bring meals to many families in times of need. She and Jack moved to Bryan a few years after losing their home to flooding from Hurricane Harvey. There, they joined First United Methodist Church Bryan. With that move, she enjoyed being a lot closer in distance to her grandchildren, and cherished the special title of GiGi. Gwain spent the last almost four years living in Aledo, Texas.

Gwain had a great sense of humor and a sweet laugh that could fill a room. She loved her family, and was a great encourager. Gwain’s faith in Jesus was deep, and she was a prayerful and wise woman. She enjoyed being Christ’s hands and feet, helping others, listening to them, and giving sage advice. She will be greatly missed here on earth.

Gwain is preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Eugenia Faye King Walley, step-mother, Mattie Sue Walley: grandparents, Doc and Susie Eva Walters King, Melton and Hattie Smith Walley; and her husband, John “Jack” Olsen. She is survived by her brother, Ron Walley; sisters-in-law Lynda Walley and Kathy Williams; brother-in-law, Mike Olsen; son-in-law, Mike Trinka; daughter, Jennifer Olsen Trinka; grandchildren, Logan and Grace Trinka; aunt, Mary Jane Stewart; and nieces and nephews, Eric Walley, Mica Vannaman, John Olsen, Doug Olsen, Kristen Kirk, and David Williams. She is also remembered by her many cousins, great nieces, great nephews, step brothers, step sisters, and many caring friends.

Visitation with Gwain’s family will be October 25th at 1:00 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Chapel - College Station, Texas, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 2:00 p.m. Friends are encouraged to join the family for a coffee and dessert reception at the funeral home immediately afterwards.