Jessie Juanita Olson

Jessie Juanita Nelson Olson passed away on Saturday, February 20, 2016, at the Gables Assisted Living. She was born in LaGrande, Oregon, on March 3, 1926 to Charles Adrin Nelson and Naomi Adell Denton.

She was the youngest of 3 girls, and Luella, Anna & Jessie would hence be known as The Nelson Sisters. She was raised and attended schools in LaGrande. After high school, she went on to attend Eastern Oregon College.

She met a fellow, who was attending a night time typing course with her. He happened to be home on leave from the Army. After a whirlwind courtship, she married Leslie S. Olson at the home of her in-laws on March 20, 1946, thus beginning her 16 year career as a Military Wife.
They were privileged to live from South Carolina to Japan, to Indiana and then to Boise. In 1960, the family moved to Pocatello, ID, for Leslie to take a job at ISU. Jessie also became the Dorm Mother to many female students who lived at the University Courts. During this time, she also returned to school and earned her degree in Elementary Education.

In 1970, she began her teaching career at Emerson Elementary, and finished her career at Indian Hills Elementary after 19 years of teaching.

Jessie & Leslie were blessed with 6 children: Wesley, Duane, Karen, Michael, Katherine & Lisa.
Jessie, in her younger years, was quite the comedian and she loved to tell jokes! Over the years, she enjoyed genealogy, music, teaching, gardening, canning, sewing, quilting, camping, riding motorcycles, rock-hounding, jewelry making, acupressure & reflexology, iridology, herbal health, reading, studying the scriptures and the gospel. She was a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She fulfilled a service mission at the Bishop's Storehouse.

She was very blessed all throughout her life with many friends of all ages.

She is survived by all her children; Wes (Linda-deceased), Duane (Teresa), Karen (Bill) Gough, Mike (Peggy), Katherine, Lisa (Scott) Reed. Blessed also with 19 grandchildren & 19 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by ; her husband, Leslie; her parents, Adrin & Naomi, brother, Melvin (stillborn); sisters Luella & Anna; daughter-in-law, Linda and twin granddaughters, Jody & Jill.

Funeral Services are pending and will be published here as soon as the information becomes available.

Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leslie S. Olson/Sarg Scholarship fund at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.

A huge thank you to all who helped care for our mother over the past several months.