Rhoda Olsen

LAKELAND -- After serving as a caregiver for many years, Mrs. Rhoda Mindley Hunter Olsen returned to school in her 50s and obtained a degree in nursing."She always took care of people in her family," her daughter Arrine Spears of Lakeland said. "After she came to Lakeland, she started sitting and taking care of other people. So she made up her mind to take that LPN class."The retired licensed practical nurse for Carpenter's Home died of natural causes associated with old age Wednesday (March 15, 2006) at Highlands Lake Center. She was 97.Born in Mulberry on Dec. 6, 1908, her grandmother taught her to knit, sew, crochet, embroider and tat at an early age. Mrs. Olsen's hands always stayed busy, and she continued to excercise the skills her grandmother taught her throughout much of her life. During World War II, she knitted and crocheted sweaters to distribute to servicemen through the American Red Cross.She lived in Polk County most of her life and worked various jobs, including packing fruit at a couple of citrus packing houses.After she became a licensed practical nurse, she initially worked at Lakeland General Hospital in the nursery with newborn babies."She loved it. She was in hog heaven with those babies," Spears said. She later was recruited to work at Carpenter's Home, where she worked until her retirement.She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Mrs. Olsen was preceded in death by her husband of 27 years, Ole Nielsen Olsen, in 1954. In addition to her daughter, Arrine Spears, she is survived by her daughters, Hansine Whitehead, Cottonwood, Ala., Lyra Thomas, Winter Haven; sons, Owen Neilsen Olsen, Leesburg, Otto Delano Olsen, Bare Foot Bay; 30 grandchildren; 46 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday at Lanier Funeral Home. Services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Aid or Perpetual Education Fund, 2337 Crystal Lake Drive S., Lakeland, FL 33801.