Virginia Gifford Olson, 90

On Monday, Feb. 19, 2007, "Jesus wrapped his loving arms around Virginia Gifford Olson and carried her to heaven", surrounded by her beloved family. Virginia was born in Lewiston, Idaho to Lester and Anna (Sulier) Gifford on Nov. 8, 1916. When she was 6 weeks old, her father was killed. Left a young widow, her mother, Anna, made a trip with her baby daughter to Montana to visit her sisters who lived in Valley Creek, near Arlee.

There Anna met Ed Schall, who was also widowed and had two young daughters. Ed and Anna were married in 1920 and settled on the Schall Ranch near Arlee, where Mary Virginia grew up. She attended the University of Montana at Missoula where she met her husband, Will Olson.

During their lives together, while raising a family of four, they lived in Montana, Washington, California, Wisconsin and Florida, while Will pursued his career as a newspaper advertising man. While raising her family she continued her education and graduated from the University of West Florida with a degree in Microbiology. Virginia's career was in medical laboratory work and she worked for many years in Pensacola, Fla., at the Florida State Board of Health as a Microbiologist, retiring in 1980. Later they moved back to Montana and lived in Polson, overlooking Flathead Lake, for many years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Will Olson; her father, Lester Gifford; mother, Anna Schall; and her beloved baby granddaughter, Cathy Olson.

Virginia is survived by her loving family consisting of sons, Curtis G. Olson and his wife, Chen Yi, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Chris Olson and his wife, Susie, of Polson; William A. Olson, Jr. and his wife, Judy, of Neenah, Wis.; and daughter, Joy E. Bell and her husband, Robert Bell, of Pensacola, Fla.; one brother, Ted and Juanita Schall of Arlee; and two sisters, Cleo Lytle of Tucson, Ariz. and Sidney and Tuffy Powell of Arlee; brother-in-law, Arnold Helding of Arlee; sisters-in-law, Betty Schall of Arlee and Dorothy Wendt of Great Falls. Virginia loved her grandchildren and they cherished her too. Surviving their Grandma are Amy Hansen, Carol Madden, Danny Olson, Andy Olson, Anna Olson, Cindy Pritchard, Jeremy Olson and Donny Olson; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Virginia loved gardening in her beautiful big yard overlooking Flathead Lake and she also loved growing her African Violets. She was a member of the South Shore Garden Club and was a volunteer at the Country Store in Polson. She was a life-long voracious letter writer and was the author of the book "Mountains in the West", a collection of memories of the early families who settled in Valley Creek in the early 1920's. She loved riding horses and had a varied and interesting life as the child of some of the earlier settlers in Montana and Idaho.

Graveside services will be held at a later date at Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan, where her remains will be placed with her husband, William Olson.

The family wishes to express their deepest gratitude to the nurses, staff and caregivers at Four Seasons Assisted Living Community in Coeur d'Alene, where Virginia lived for the past year. They were good to her and she was very fond of them all.

Arrangements are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory in Polson.