Linda J. Olsen

Memorial may be made to the donor's choice. Olsen, Linda J., of O'Fallon, Missouri, died on Monday, November 16, 2009, at the age of 54. Dear daughter of the late James Benson and the late Vera Benson; loving mother of Kirsten (Thor) Norgaard, Erika McKay, and Hans "Chris" Olsen; treasured grandmother of Zoe McKay, Faith Norgaard, and Tristan Norgaard; dear sister of Carol (David) S. Meyer; dear aunt, cousin, sister-in-law, and special friend to many. She will be missed by those whose lives she touched. Linda was an Office Assistant for Boeing in St. Louis, Missouri, for over four years. Linda Jean (Benson) Olsen was born on May 28, 1955, the second daughter of Vera "Jane" and James Benson and the younger sister of Carol. From the beginning, Linda was special, arriving on the day of her big sister's sixth birthday party. Carol's birthday guests were so impressed that several boys and girls went home and asked their parents for a brother or sister for their next birthday! Linda lived in St. Louis, attending Mason elementary and Southwest High School, graduating in 1973. In 1977 Linda married Hans "Sky" Olsen and moved to Denver, CO. While Sky was studying to become a gunsmith, Linda worked in a Denver law office. In 1979, they moved to Astoria, OR where Sky accepted a gunsmithing position. Linda lived in Astoria, a coastal town on the Columbia River in northwest Oregon and worked for many years as a secretary at the law firm of Snow & Snow. Linda and Sky had three children: Kirsten, Erika and Hans "Chris." Linda was a good seamstress and sewed many of her children's clothes. Her hobbies included crafts, gardening, canning and plants. She was a devoted St. Louis baseball Cardinals fan and enjoyed attending games. As a child, Linda loved animals, especially cats. Her house in Astoria was home to many cats over the years. At one point, Linda befriended a deer in her yard and fed him Spanish moss from her hand. Linda loved the Lord Jesus, her family and her friends. For many years, she was involved in church with music and worship teams. She composed songs, one of which is copyrighted. Following a divorce, Linda returned to St. Louis and was employed as an office assistant at The Boeing Co. In 2004 she was diagnosed with epitheloid trophoblastic disease, an extremely rare form of cancer. Linda is survived by her three children: Kirsten (Thor) Norgaard, Erika McKay and Hans "Chris" Olsen, all of Astoria; three grandchildren: Zoe McKay, Faith and Tristan Norgaard, all of Astoria; former husband, Hans "Sky" Olsen of Astoria; and sister Carol (David) Meyer of O'Fallon, MO