Obituary for Shirley Norma Olsen (Draper)
Early in the morning on August 10, 2022, Mom, Shirley Norma Olsen (nee Draper) passed peace-fully from this life into the presence or her Lord and Saviour, Jesus. Mom was born on February 8, 1931 to William (Britton) and Azelia Draper in Regina, SK. She was the youngest of three children and got along well with her older brother Sheldon and her sister Audrey. She moved with the fami-ly in 1933 to Stenin, SK where grandpa farmed during the depression years. Life on the prairies during the depression was difficult but mom enjoyed the the farm life and the friends she made at school. In 1943 the family moved by train back to Emo where grandma and grandpa had grown up and been married.
Once back in Emo mom settled into school and completed her education to the end of the tenth grade. After school she held a variety of jobs including house cleaning and waitressing, but the job she enjoyed most was working at Meyers Clothing for Mark Meyers. In 1956, a tall and handsome man came courting and on August 23, 1957 mom was united in marriage to dad, Alfred Olsen. She spent some time with dad in the logging camp but settled into home on the highway just outside of Emo. There mom and dad cared for a number of foster children until the three of us came along, Kendall, Katherine and Jo-Anne.
Mom had a servant’s heart and she cared for Dad and the three of us with tender devotion. If Dad had to sand the logging roads, Mom would be up at 3:00 am to send him off or have supper ready if he didn’t get home until 8:00 or 9:00 pm. She loved to cook and bake and we were the benefi-ciaries. She enjoyed reading, crossword and Sudoku puzzles. She also loved to travel and often made trips to visit her siblings and later her children and grandchildren.
With the exception of a year spent in BC 1970/71 (raising us without the conveniences of electrici-ty or running water) and four years spent in Princeton BC (1996-2000) mom and dad lived the bal-ance of their life in Emo. The Queen Street Manor was their ‘base camp.’ After dad retired they lived in their motor home for at least four months of the year. They explored much of Canada and the United States, but always seemed to end up in British Columbia and the Yukon. Later in life when their radius of travel grew smaller mom would ask dad to drive to the prairies as she longed to see the crops just one more time. In the later years, they were invited to make a permanent campsite north of Rainy River on the river.
Mom had a deep rooted faith. She loved the Lord and spent time daily in Bible reading and prayer. It showed in her life as she seemed to be content no matter where she was. She was always thank-ful and never wanted anyone to ‘fuss’ over her yet she was always ‘fussing” over others.
Mom will be greatly missed by her children: Kendall Olsen and wife Gwen, Katherine Olsen, Jo-Anne Griffiths, her grandchildren: Brittany Lindsey (Adam), Brandon Olsen (Emily), Erin Touchette (Patrick), Nicholas Olsen (Nichelle), Tyler Smith and Blair Elliot, her five great grand-children: Eleanor and Alfred Olsen, Odette, Ivan and Valerie Touchette and by many extended family members.
In Memorium donations may be made to Calvary Baptist Church or Riverside Health Care.
A service of remembrance and celebration will take place at Calvary Baptist Church, Emo on Sunday, August 21st at 2:00 pm. If you are unable to attend but would like to join us online, please email emocbc@gmail.com for a link to the service.
Once back in Emo mom settled into school and completed her education to the end of the tenth grade. After school she held a variety of jobs including house cleaning and waitressing, but the job she enjoyed most was working at Meyers Clothing for Mark Meyers. In 1956, a tall and handsome man came courting and on August 23, 1957 mom was united in marriage to dad, Alfred Olsen. She spent some time with dad in the logging camp but settled into home on the highway just outside of Emo. There mom and dad cared for a number of foster children until the three of us came along, Kendall, Katherine and Jo-Anne.
Mom had a servant’s heart and she cared for Dad and the three of us with tender devotion. If Dad had to sand the logging roads, Mom would be up at 3:00 am to send him off or have supper ready if he didn’t get home until 8:00 or 9:00 pm. She loved to cook and bake and we were the benefi-ciaries. She enjoyed reading, crossword and Sudoku puzzles. She also loved to travel and often made trips to visit her siblings and later her children and grandchildren.
With the exception of a year spent in BC 1970/71 (raising us without the conveniences of electrici-ty or running water) and four years spent in Princeton BC (1996-2000) mom and dad lived the bal-ance of their life in Emo. The Queen Street Manor was their ‘base camp.’ After dad retired they lived in their motor home for at least four months of the year. They explored much of Canada and the United States, but always seemed to end up in British Columbia and the Yukon. Later in life when their radius of travel grew smaller mom would ask dad to drive to the prairies as she longed to see the crops just one more time. In the later years, they were invited to make a permanent campsite north of Rainy River on the river.
Mom had a deep rooted faith. She loved the Lord and spent time daily in Bible reading and prayer. It showed in her life as she seemed to be content no matter where she was. She was always thank-ful and never wanted anyone to ‘fuss’ over her yet she was always ‘fussing” over others.
Mom will be greatly missed by her children: Kendall Olsen and wife Gwen, Katherine Olsen, Jo-Anne Griffiths, her grandchildren: Brittany Lindsey (Adam), Brandon Olsen (Emily), Erin Touchette (Patrick), Nicholas Olsen (Nichelle), Tyler Smith and Blair Elliot, her five great grand-children: Eleanor and Alfred Olsen, Odette, Ivan and Valerie Touchette and by many extended family members.
In Memorium donations may be made to Calvary Baptist Church or Riverside Health Care.
A service of remembrance and celebration will take place at Calvary Baptist Church, Emo on Sunday, August 21st at 2:00 pm. If you are unable to attend but would like to join us online, please email emocbc@gmail.com for a link to the service.