Jeanne C. Olson, 82, a
lifelong Ironwood, Mich. resident, died peacefully Thursday, June 27, 2013, at
St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, with her family by her side. The former Jeanne Cobb was born March 7, 1931,
in Hibbing, Minn., daughter of the late Sherman and Ethel (Wicklem) Cobb, and
came to Ironwood as a child, where she attended Ironwood schools and graduated
from Luther L. Wright High School in 1948. She attended junior college in
Ironwood and graduated from Northland College in Ashland with a Bachelor of
Science degree in secondary education. She then substitute taught in the
Ironwood School District for a short time. Jeanne was employed as a bookkeeper for
Sears-Roebuck & Co. and at the Red Owl Store in Ironwood, and as a
cook/waitress at the Liberty Bell Chalet in Hurley and Ben's Place in Ironwood
for many years. She then was employed once again as a bookkeeper at Cloverland
Motors in Ironwood, Cloon Motors in Wakefield, Mich., and C&M Oil Co.and
WUPM-WHRY in Ironwood, retiring from the Community Action Agency in downtown
Ironwood in 2003. A well-rounded and active person, Jeanne was
an avid bowler and bowled in Range area leagues for many years. She volunteered
for Domestic Violence Escape and helped establish DOVE bingo. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting
and playing cribbage. In her younger years, she was a chaperone for the Blue
Knights Drum and Bugle Corps where she was known as "Ma Jeanne" to all the
members. She also was an amateur ham radio operator and played women's softball,
and enjoyed archery, downhill skiing, skating and powder puff stock car racing.
She will be deeply missed by her family and many friends. She married Jack R. Olson in 1949. They later
divorced. Surviving are two sons, James (Helen),
Sheboygan Falls, and Jerry (Liz), Hurley; three daughters, Jeanine (David)
Winkowski, Ironwood, Judy (Greg) Battisti, Fredric, and Joellyn (Mike) Williams,
Ironwood and Birdsboro, Pa.; 10 grandchildren, Michael (Carie) Olson, Tina
(Kyle) Ellefson, Jesse (Trista) Olson, Jeffrey Blu Hill ( Gwen Garrison), Dawn
(K.C.) Giwa, Sunni Hill, Cara Battisti, Mario (Tiffany) Battisti, Justin
Williams and Brian Williams (fiancee Rebecca Rothman); seven
great-grandchildren, Tyler, Nathan, Jacobb, Christian, Carter, Aubrey and Dele;
two stepgrandchildren, Brenda (James) Rector and Christopher Winkowski; two
stepgreat-grandchildren, Jackson and Kaiti; numerous nieces and nephews; a
sister-and-brother-in-law, Joyce and Joe Manzanares, Mercer; and her very best
friend and longtime companion, William "Chip" Tippett, Ironwood. Besides her parents, Jeanne was predeceased by
a brother, Frank Watts; sister, Eleanore Toijala; and niece, Jayne
Slavin-Quayle. Out of respect for her wishes, cremation has
taken place. Memorial services will be held Saturday, July
6, at 11 a.m., preceded by visitation at 9:30 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in Ironwood, with the Rev. Kurt Kovanen
officiating. Private committal and interment will be in
Riverside Cemetery, Ironwood. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may
be made to DOVE, Inc., P.O. Box 366, Ironwood, MI 49938. Jeanne's obituary can be viewed online and
condolences given to her family at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to
McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood. The family wishes to extend a special
heartfelt thank you to Ministry-St. Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield for the
wonderful and compassionate care given to Jeanne. Also, special thanks to Dr.
Maki and Dr. Hughes in the Aspirus Grand View Hospital Emergency Room for their
professionalism.