Obituary of Evelyn Louise Olsen

It is with heavy hearts the families of Ev Olsen (nee Kreller), beloved wife of Frank Donald (deceased 1974) and Arnold Olsen (deceased 2004) announce her passing on Sunday, June 3rd at Points West Living Red Deer in her 91st year. Ev was the youngest of 12 surviving children of her parents Conrad and Dolly Kreller who ran a dairy farm in Lumsden, Saskatchewan. Ev loved working outdoors and talked about the hard work on the farm milking cows and then delivering it with her dad by horse drawn cart. On leaving Saskatchewan she came to Vermilion where her brother Les Kreller and his wife Sophia were farming. Mom and Les were very close and remained so throughout their lives. She entered her horse in the jumping classes in the Vermilion fair when a young daredevil and jumped her bareback when others rode in saddles. Over the years she kept active in the community with curling and bowling in the different Leagues and drove school bus for several years. Her sisters Florence Nugent from Lumsden and Iris Foord from Red Deer usually came to Vermilion to curl in the bonspiels and share laughter and music and that was always a fun time for us all. When she couldn't be as active, she enjoyed going to the Vermilion Fair to watch the horses and other stock classes. One of her favorites was by the track and betting quarters on the chuckwagon races with her family. Mom was competitive and loved to win in anything she did she didn't always but was a good loser. Mom loved animals, music, sports, gardening, anything outdoors and taking her little dog to the Vermilion Lodge to visit friends and make new ones until she herself became a resident. Arleigh Stone often visited Ev in the Lodge or picked her up for a trip out to the farm or out for ice cream. Arleigh was much more than a friend and the family can't express their gratitude enough. Nick and Ruth Westman helped and many others in Vermilion who lent her a helping hand when it was needed. Thank you everyone for your care. Our thanks and appreciation also goes to the staff at the Vermilion Valley Lodge and the Vermilion Health Nursing unit and everyone involved who took such wonderful care of her before her move to Red Deer in November of 2016. Ev leaves behind Marsha, D'Arcy and Charlene Donald and their families as well as Ivan, Allen, Bernie - Karen Olsen and families. Ev has 11 Grandchildren and 11 Great-Grandchildren with another due in August. Mom also leaves behind her twin sisters Iris and Irene to mourn her passing. She was predeceased by her husband Frank Donald in 1974 and husband Arnold Olsen in 2004. A Memorial Service will be taking place on Friday, July 27, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at the First United Church, Vermilion. Memorial donations may be made to the charity of one's choice.