Janice Olson

Janice McCoy Olson, died on January 4, 2026, in Waterloo, Iowa. She was 90 years old. A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date. Interment will be private.

She was born on February 11, 1935, in Osage, Iowa to Ruth Smith Neve and adopted by Walter and Julia (Willson) McCoy of Osage. She graduated from Osage High School in 1953. She attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. Following college graduation Janice moved to San Francisco, California where she met and married Richard Blaustein. They settled in Mill Valley, California. Richard was drafted into the army and stationed in Tacoma, Washington where Diedre was born. After Richard's service in the military, they returned to Mill Valley where Bruce was born. They later divorced.

In 1962 Janice returned to Osage with her two children and married a high school peer, Allert Gilman Olson II. They had a son, Allert (Al) Gilman Olson III. Following their divorced she relocated the family to the Denver, Colorado area. Janice worked in various capacities including several decades in the administration departments at St. Anthony and Lutheran Hospitals. She then worked at the Senior Resource Center as a Program Assistant for Alzheimer's and dementia patients in Lakewood, Colorado. She was loved by her patients, and she loved to cook for and take care of them.

Janice loved many things in life including hosting parties in her home and enjoyed cooking Asian food. She loved traveling the world, visiting places like the Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, and China. She often reminisced about seeing the Terracotta Warriors and walking a portion of the Great Wall of China.

She also cherished her beloved dogs, Chester and Prince.

She retired at the age of 79 and moved to Waterloo, Iowa to be closer to family.

She was a PEO sister and a member of Sons of Norway. She loved to attend the Norwegian dinners and meetings. Janice enjoyed reading and attending social events.

Janice made many friends along the way that became an important part of her life. She loved living in Colorado especially in Idledale, a town in the mountains with her friend, Patricia Jordan.

Her lifelong friends included Benna Spencer, Bev Johnson, and Eleanor Crandall. Her friends from Colorado included Claudette Fredericksen, Lou Baird, Marilyn Herring, Marji Matty, Jackie O'Malley, and Judy Schactner. Her friends in Iowa included Gary Frost, Arlie Anderson, Esther Bauer Owczarek, Helen Powell, Pat Olsen and many others.

Janice was delighted to attend her 70th Osage High School Class Reunion in 2023, including riding with her classmates in the parade.

Janice is survived by: Her children, Diedre Loecher (Kim Adams) of Waterloo, Iowa, Bruce Olson (Dion Flanagan) of Laguna Niguel, California, and Al Olson. Grandchildren, Eric (Alyssa) Loecher of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kristen Loecher Aurand of Waterloo, Iowa, and Katie (Nate) Harris of Dana Point, California. Greatgrandchildren, Tala Aurand, Carter Loecher, Kiley Aurand, Graham Harris, and Poppy Harris. Half-brother Rev. Eugene Smith, of Florida. Nieces, Kimmy (Jack) Sciezinski and Vicki (Ron) Van der Pol. Janice's biological family includes Eileen and Dean Holland, Gloria and Mike Gruis, Daryl and Cindy Hanna, Bernal and Kathy Hanna, and Jannelle and Jon Erdman all from Iowa.

She was preceded in death by: her birth mother Ruth Smith Neve and her parents Walter and Julia McCoy, brother Walter McCoy Jr., and nephew Timothy McCoy. Exhusbands, Richard Blaustein, a newspaper marketing consultant from Sonoma, California (deceased, February 2022) and Allert Gilman Olson II, an Iowa farmer from the Osage area (deceased, May 2012).