Vera Jean Olsen
January 28, 1926 — January 23, 2016
Vera Olsen
Panguitch, Utah
On January 23, 2016, our beloved mother and grandmother, Vera Jean Anderson Olsen, passed away at her home in Panguitch, at the age of 89, just five days shy of her 90 th birthday. She was born January 28, 1926 in Ephraim to Kenneth and Margaret Jewkes Anderson. She was one of 13 siblings. She married Max Draper in Mt. Pleasant, later divorced. She then married Hal R. Olsen in 1947.
Mom was a fun mother. Our childhood summer days were filled with fishing up in Panguitch Canyon, literally every day. Or playing baseball with the neighborhood kids, which resulted in four broken windows from her home run hits.
A member of the LDS Church, Mom served as first counselor in the Primary. As a boy scout leader she brought an artistic edge and gave it all she had.
There was nothing she couldn’t do: draw, paint, build or sew. We children were always dressed in her unique designs: silk lined coats with pleats and lapels, dresses with ruffles and fancy stitching. She worked tirelessly building floats, state centennial cake, posters, etc. She designed the big fish logo, "Meet Me In Panguitch" in the 1960's.
In her later years Mom worked at the visitor center in Panguitch where she loved meeting people from all over the world.
With a wit unmatched, her personality kept you laughing right up to the day she died. Her dad’s pet name for her was "Little Jean". As one sibling said, "In his eyes, Little Jean could do no wrong."
Mom marched to the beat of her own drum.
And march, dance, laugh, sing and live, she did!
She is survived by her children: Mickie Hayward, San Diego, CA; Sharon Kay Draper, SLC; Shyanne (Bob) Dickinson, Richfield; Dennis Olsen, Alana (Dennis) Davis, both of Panguitch; Lisa (Glen) Worthen, Hurricane; 28 grandchildren, 57 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren; siblings: Lee (Norma) Simmons, Bountiful; Dave (Mavis) Hall, Bountiful; Rodney (Judy) Anderson, Mt. Pleasant; Benny Anderson, American Fork.
Preceded in death by her husband; sons: Brent, Pete, and Jeremy Olsen; grandson, Shawn Olsen; parents; siblings: Ted Anderson, Lenore Clark, Leah (Peel) Jacobson, Barbara Tuttle, Monte Anderson, Thomas Anderson, Arlene Anderson and Virgina Anderson.
Private family funeral services will be held Monday, February 1, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Panguitch 3 rd Ward Chapel, 550 South 100 West. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. in the Ephraim Park Cemetery. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti.