Our Mom was born on June 24, 1919, in a house across the street from the Coast Guard station in Westport, Washington. Her father A.B. Olsen was serving there as a Surfman, while her mother Dona G. Olsen (Nelson) was raising the family.
Soon after Grandpa’s service was completed, he moved the family to Elma, Washington. There Mom helped with the family dairy, A.B.’s Jersey Dairy, and attended Elma schools graduating in 1938. As an Eagle she played basketball, was a cheerleader, and lead a school wide strike demanding more time between classes. Mom graduated from Grays Harbor College and completed her Registered Nurse training at Saint Peters Hospital in Olympia. Her brother “Bubby’s” service in the Navy prompted her to also join the Navy where she held the rank of Lieutenant serving as a nurse. Mom was stationed not on a ship but at Mare Island Naval Station, California for the duration of her service, caring for servicemen returning from the Pacific Theater. It was duty that she talked to very few about. At the end of the war Mom married and gave birth to a daughter, Dona Lou who followed in her mother’s footsteps becoming an RN. After a divorce Mom raised Sis while working at Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo, California.
It was during this time that she faced friends with good intentions, sometimes called Matchmakers. She resisted many times but finally accepted dinner at the Albano house where she met a tall boat builder and fisherman by the name of Ed Wood. A beautiful relationship started, marriage followed, and her “Eddie Wood” was born in 1958. Mom left nursing to raise a family, while Dad worked at George W Kneass shipyard. The shipyard closed in 1969, prompting the family to move back to Elma where Dad built the charter boat New Snoopy while operating the Snoopy in Westport. Mom returned to nursing and worked at Oakhurst Convalescent Center until her retirement.
Mom and Dad lived at the house in Elma, and welcomed all that wanted to stop by for a just a chat, dinner or a longer stay. Mom enjoyed the company, although she would never admit to it. In fact, she always loved a party, a noisy crowded bar, or any place “where the action was”. She enjoyed clam digging, salmon fishing, playing the slots and craps, a good football or baseball game, or filling her clothes line with laundry. Mom was blessed with friends that made all those activities even better.
Being a Navy nurse during a world war was stressful, but paled in comparison to what she endured while waiting for her two grandchildren Allison and Adam, and one great-granddaughter Amelia Emily to arrive. She and Dad enjoyed every moment with Allison and Adam. Mom loved that both children traveled the world, and would wait for their calls to discuss the latest trip. She tracked their destinations on a world globe, and enjoyed the “Morality Monkeys” that found her after those adventures.
Mom was known to all to be a “straight shooter”, and never minced words when giving her opinion. Her consul was sought by many of us, but her “look” was feared by all. Please hold your memories of her close, and think about the last time that she gave you that raise of the eyebrow or set of the jaw that always brought a chuckle. And most of all never miss the opportunity to enjoy life.
Mom is survived by her brother Robert C. Olsen of Central Park, Dona and Jim Loustalot of Foster City, California; Diane and Eddie Wood of Seattle; Allison Wood now residing in London, England; Brandi, Adam and Amelia Emily Wood of North Vancouver, B.C. Mom is also survived by her larger family, nieces that spent their Fridays with her, Elma women that schemed together to cause nothing but trouble, her Oprah and Ellen buddy, and her wonderful neighbors that kept a watchful eye over her for so many years. Our thanks and thoughts are with all of you, as she was Mom to us all. In her later years, Mom said that nobody should live past 90, but we are certainly happy that she hung around for another nine.
A memorial will be held at 12:30 p.m. on March 1, 2019, at the Eagles Hall in Elma.
