Thief River Falls - "Fritzi" Frances L. Olson, 73, of Thief River Falls died Friday, August 29, 1997 in Riverside, CA
Funeral services were held Tuesday, September 2 at 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church with Reverend Tim Bauer officiating. Music was provided by organist Sally Erickson and soloist Rick Erickson. Casketbearers were Bill Derosier, Floyd Erickson, Bradley Olson, Erling Olson, Richard Olson and Ronald Olson. Burial was at Greenwood Cemetery. The Green Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.
Frances Lucille Olsen was born February 26, 1924 in Omaha, NE, the daughter of Arthur and Hannah Sue (Zebley) Olsen. She was raised and attended school in Los Angeles, CA, graduating from Washington High School and El Camino College in Los Angeles. Fritzi married Donald Heaney in Los Angeles, and the couple lived in the Torrence, CA area where she worked as a social worker with the Torrence Schools. They moved to Thief River Falls in 1964. On August 20, 1966 she married Laverne Olson at Las Vegas, NV. They moved to West Los Angeles, CA where Fritzi worked as a secretary. In 1969 they moved to Thief River Falls where she was a secretary at Washington Elementary School for 12 years. Laverne died on October 21, 1993, and following his death, Fritzi moved to Prescott, AZ. In the past few weeks, she had moved to Riverside, CA to be in the care of her special nephew Ron Ross and his wife Linda, and special niece Barbara Rose and her husband Bob.
She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Eagle's Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary. Fritzi loved to fly and was a member of the 99's All Women's Flying Club and had flown in the All Women's Transcontinental Air Race "Powder Puff Derby". She was an avid golfer, fisherman, hunter and painter.
Fritzi is survived by one son, Arthur (Joyce) Heaney of Warren; two stepsons, Daniel (Shirley) Olson of Thief River Falls and Thomas Olson of Gainesville, FL; one stepdaughter, Kari Ann Olson of Grants Pass, OR; 11 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Laverne; her parents; one sister, Helene Blevins; and one grandson-in-law, Israel Ortiz.