Dorothy L. Olsen

Dorothy L. “Dot” Olsen, 87, of St. Paul, died Thursday, June 1, 2017, surrounded by her family, at Mary Lanning Healthcare in Hastings. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Revs. Rayappa Konka and Michael McDermott will concelebrate the Mass. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family. Dorothy was born on March 7, 1930, at Sterling, Colorado, the daughter of Christian and Lydia (Pfanenstiel) Leachman. She lived with her family in several communities in eastern Colorado and attended high school in Atwood, Colorado until it closed in her junior year. She graduated from St. Anthony's High School in Sterling in 1948. She was united in marriage to Roy L. Olsen on July 18, 1948, in Sterling, Colorado. In 1949, they moved back to St. Paul, where they raised their five children and lived for 58 years. They moved to a retirement community in Grand Island in 2007. Roy died on Jan. 31, 2013 and Dorothy continued to live in Grand Island until 2017 when she moved to Brookefield Park in St. Paul. Dorothy was an avid bridge player, golfer and accomplished seamstress. She was very involved in the St. Paul community and Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. She was a longtime member and past secretary/treasurer of the St. Paul Country Club and also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and Catholic Daughters. She worked from her home initially doing alterations for Bryan Jensen Clothing and after her children were raised, she worked at the store until her retirement. She is survived by three daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Terry Samuelson of Grand Island, Bonnie and Steve Meyer of Beemer and Julie and Doug Bullis of Lakewood, Colorado; two sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Joyce Olsen of Farwell and John and Cindy Olsen of Lawrence, Kansas; 15 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Carolyn and Richard Giarratano of Arvada, CO and Kay and Fred Fair of Pueblo, CO; one brother and three sisters-in-law, Jerald and Joyce Leachman of Pueblo, CO, Jan Leachman of Anderson, Alabama and Ann Leachman of Seattle, WA. In addition to her husband, Roy, she was preceded in death by her parents; one grandson, Bruce Meyer; two brothers, Edwin and Chris Leachman; and one sister, Virginia Scalva. Memorials are suggested to Sts. Peter & Paul Parish Life Center or the St. Paul Civic Center.