Mary Joy Olson

It is with a heavy and broken heart that I, Martin Olson, share with friends, family and community members that my wife, Mary Joy Harless Olson - the love of my life for 58 years of marriage - passed away unexpectedly on September 29, 2024.

I would often tell Mary that the best thing I have done in my life is to convince Mary to marry me.

Mary lived her Christian faith in the fashion of the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) and prayed in her closet (Matthew 6:6).

Mary early in life suffered a devastating blow when as a child she contracted Scarlet Fever which caused her severe hearing loss.

Mary’s dream as a child was to become an elementary school teacher and she was determined not to let her hearing loss get in the way of achieving this dream.

The professor instructed Mary’s supervising classroom teacher at Akron Public Schools’ (APS) Betty Jane Elementary to grade Mary with a ‘C’ - just because of her hearing disability - which at the time (1965) would ensure that Mary would not be hired as an elementary school teacher.

Mary’s supervising teacher told the professor that Mary would get the grade she earned as a student teacher. The rest of the story is that Mary earned an “A” despite her severe hearing loss and went on to become one of Akron Public School’s finest teachers and it was during her 35 years as an Akron teacher that she was in the running for APS Teacher of the Year for several years, placing second on one occasion.

With only a few years left before retirement, Mary undertook a mission to become a Board-Certified Teacher and became one of 20 some statewide Ohio Board Certified Teachers and the only Stark County resident making this achievement.

Being the consummate educator, Mary was elected to the Lake Local Board of Education in 1990 and served a total of six years. One of her proudest achievements was convincing two fellow board members to place a 13.9 million dollar levy on the ballot which passed by the narrowest of margins. The levy carried Lake for 10 years before a new/replacement levy was placed on the ballot.

Mary went on to be elected to the Stark County Educational Service Center Governing Board beginning in 2008 and continuing until the time of her death.

Mary had a dramatic flair about her which she put together as an actor for the Lake Players and Canton Players Guild.

She traveled the nation as an education consultant for Carson Dellosa Publishing for teachers seeking guidance on improving their classroom presentations.

Mary is survived by husband, Martin and daughters, Heidi (Mark) Olson Silcox and Kasi (Will) Olson Chu and was predeceased (2021) by daughter, Kirstin (Mark) Olson Reimann.

Mary was immensely proud of her three daughters, all of whom are graduates of Lake Local Schools and went on the become leading women professionals. Kirstin (Colonel - USAFR) as a public relations officer; Heidi - an attorney and Kasi - a medical doctor achieving the rank of Colonel/USAF.

Surviving Mary are Kirstin’s children: Paul, Meredith and John Reimann living in various locales in Colorado and Kasi’s children: Austin and Aspen who reside in Bethesda, Maryland.

Mary is survived by her mother, Pauline Harless who will turn 100 on October 22nd of this year and sister, Laura (Michael) Doane of Uniontown but was sadly predeceased by her father, Lacy in 2003 and sister, Debbie in 1976. 

Funeral set for Tuesday, October 15, 2024 - VIEWING - 10:00 a.m. to Noon with a SERVICE beginning at Noon at Newcomer Funeral Home, 131 North Canton Road, Akron, Ohio 44305. 

Interment immediately following her service will take place at Greenlawn Cemetery, 3657 Northdale Street, Uniontown, Ohio.

To share a memory of Mary or to leave a special message for her family, visit the guest book below.