Bessie Olson, 82

Bessie Olson, lifelong resident of the Flathead Valley area, passed away at the Colonial Manor in Whitefish on Monday, March 12, 2007, at the age of 82. Bessie was born Dec. 4,1924, to Howard and Kate (Street) Stoner at the family farm in the LaSalle area. She attended country schools in that area and than graduated from Whitefish High School in 1942.

In September of that same year, she married a Minnesota lumberjack, Clarence Olson. Together they raised four children. Clarence passed away in March 1991.

She is survived by her children, Carolyn Kepner and husband, Hal, Jerry and wife, Sandee, Ron and wife, Linda, and Ed and wife, Raeann. Also surviving are nine grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; several special nieces and nephews; and lifelong friend, Jane Barnes, of Columbia Falls.

Graveside services will be held 2 p.m. Friday, March 16, at Glacier Memorial Gardens, with Pastor Kent Morrison officiating. A luncheon will be after the services.

The family would like to extend the most heartfelt thank-you to the staff of the Colonial Manor for the outstanding and loving care of their mother for the last six years.