Elaine M. Olsen

Elaine Olsen of Forest Grove, passed away on September 29th 2021, at 95 years old.
A graveside service will be held for the family at the Old Scotch Church.
Elaine was born on March 27, 1926, in Dairy Creek, OR. She was proud to share a birth year and similarly strong constitution with Queen Elizabeth II of England. Elaine was the youngest of three children born to Page and Meta Gardner. The children worked hard on their parent's dairy farm through the Depression.
Through mutual friends, Elaine met her future husband of 67 years, Ervin Olsen. They married upon his return from WWII, on New Year's Eve 1946. Within two years, Elaine gave birth to two girls, Linda and Nancy. Erv's career as a logger took the family to states across the West. In 1964, they returned to their roots in Hillsboro where they had a small farm and a bountiful garden.
Throughout her life, Elaine kept her family, friends, and neighbors close. She was a devoted, lifelong member of the Old Scotch Church. She worked as a receptionist, bank teller, and as a caregiver at the original Masonic home in Forest Grove. She loved country and folk music, attending live shows until the last months of her life. She was also an artist herself, painting window scenes on the shops of historic downtown Hillsboro for many years. Elaine cherished hard work, kindness, and honesty. She had a deep interest in local history and genealogy.
Elaine was a proud and active grandparent to her grandchildren; she taught her grandkids about gardening, canning, cooking, and playing cards. She enjoyed traveling in the family camper and taking trips to the coast, where Elaine would look for rocks and shells to add to her collections.
She is survived by her daughters, Linda and Nancy; granddaughters, Marcia, Erin, and Dina; and beloved great granddaughter, Valentine.