Maxine Olson

Maxine Olson passed away peacefully at Resthave Home on Sunday, July 12 surrounded by her loving family. Maxine was born July 6, 1930 in Marshfield, Wisconsin to Lucille and Theodore Salter. She grew up in Unity, Wisconsin. Upon graduation from Unity High School she attended State Teachers College in Whitewater, Wisconsin where she met the love of her life. Maxine and Don were married on August 18, 1951. In 1955 they moved to Sterling where they raised their family and grew old together. Maxine loved her job as the first secretary at Jefferson Elementary School. In addition to putting her secretarial skills to use, she was able to put her people skills to use in welcoming young new teachers to the district. She also helped Don run the School Employees Credit Union (now Select Employees Credit Union) out of their home. When the credit union moved out of their home, Maxine became its first full-time employee. Her attention to detail, welcoming skills, and her ability to remember people were instrumental in the success of the credit union over the years. Maxine was an active member and volunteer at St. John's Lutheran Church, volunteer fund raiser for CGH Health Foundation, and an active member of Round Tuit's non-profit women's group. Family and friends were very important to Maxine. She enjoyed a wide circle of friends with whom she played tennis, golf, bridge, mahjong and bunko. She loved writing letters to friends and family and often included newspaper clippings she thought you would enjoy; she also saved almost every card and letter she received. When the kids were young, a highlight of summer vacations was camping trips to northern Wisconsin and the western United States. As grandchildren entered the picture, that became yearly trips to the cottage in Birchwood, Wisconsin. During retirement, Don and Maxine traveled extensively at home and abroad including 15 years spent wintering in Florida. Maxine also loved cooking and baking; her grandchildren could always count on Grandma for chocolate chip cookies or their favorite dishes. Maxine is survived by her husband of nearly 69 years, Don Olson; son Jim (Vicki) Olson of Sterling; daughter Nancy (Eric) Rasmussen of Verona, Wisconsin; grandchildren Ben (Jenny) Olson, Jami Olson, Kari Rasmussen, and Scott Rasmussen; and two great-grandchildren Sophie and Nick. She is also survived by her sister Sally (Russ) Schmidt, several nieces and nephews, and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister and brother-in-law Betty and Jim Kemper. The family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers who cared for Maxine over the past two years at Parkway Center, Memory Care Morningside and Resthave. A private service will be held for the family at Riverside Cemetery, officiated by Reverend Doctor Christina Berry of First Presbyterian Church of Sterling. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation c/o Schilling Funeral Home PO Box 592 Sterling, Illinois 61081.