Kathy Olsen of Indiana, died of rectal cancer on April 12, 2024.
Kathy was born and raised in Indiana and attended IUP. Upon graduation, she worked toward a Master’s Degree at WVU and taught school in Pittsburgh for three years. She then drove cross-country to Los Angeles and worked as an assistant buyer in Robinson’s Department Store. When she returned East, she moved to Washington, D.C., with college friends, and started a teaching job in Prince George’s County, Maryland. With those friends, she traveled to Europe, Asia, Greece, Turkey, Curacao, and Norway. She made many cross-country road trips with special fondness for the Southwest. Most of these trips she made with her sister, Bonnie.
When her father became ill, she returned to Indiana to help her sister, Bonnie, care for him. She and Bonnie bought a house in Bradenton, Florida, where they spent winters along with their father until his death. She kept this house until her sister’s death in 2015.
Kathy enjoyed spending time with friends and family, especially her nieces and nephews. She kept in touch over the years with her high school and college friends, often meeting together and traveling on various trips. She was grateful for these many friends who remained in her life all these years.
Her interests included traveling, reading, movies, art, gardening, decorating, playing cards with friends, and involvement in politics for the Democratic Party.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph A. and Fay McAnulty Olsen; her sister, Bonnie Calarie Kington (Ed Calarie); her brother, Eric Olsen; and her grandniece, Lily Kington.
She is survived by a sister, Trudy Williams (Lyle) of Indiana; nieces, Marcia Calarie Iglesias (Manny) of Glen Burnie, Maryland, Natalie Calarie Widdowson (Mike) of Pasadena, Maryland, Regina Calarie Hoffman (Ed) of Hermosa Beach, California, Tracy Williams Sprankle (Dane) of Gallitzin, Ashley Olsen of Columbia, Missouri, and Kayla Olsen of Wernersville; and nephews, Clark Kington of Hampden, Maine, and Connor Olsen of Wernersville. She is also survived by 12 grandnieces and grandnephews.
Friends will be received on Friday, April 19, from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at 1 p.m. at Robinson-Lytle-Shoemaker Funeral Home, 36 N 7th St., Indiana with Pastor Tedd Cogar officiating. Interment will follow at Oakland Cemetery. All are invited to attend.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests memorial contributions be made in Kathy’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, Doctors Without Borders, or a charity of one’s choice. To view the obituary or sign the online guest book, please visit robinsonlytleshoemaker.com
