Laree Olsen

Loa, Utah - Our loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend LaRee Maxfield Olsen passed away on December 28, 2021, at the age of 96. She was surrounded by her family. She was born August 23, 1925 in Lyman, Utah, 20 minutes before her identical twin, LaVee. She is the daughter of Nathan Grant and Delta Okerlund Maxfield. Mom and her twin had lots of fun growing up. They liked to switch places because they looked so much alike. They were inseparable. She attended Wayne High School, where she was a cheerleader and in the royalty of the Wayne Centennial in 1947. Six months before her graduation, she left to work at the parachute plants in Manti, and Ogden, Utah to support the war effort. Mom married Clifford Olsen on December 17, 1947, in the Manti, Utah Temple. They lived in Wayne County, Weiser, Idaho, Henderson, Nevada, and Salt Lake City, Utah. They were blessed with five children: Jeffery Mack, Pamela, Denise, Candis, and Teresa. After we were all in school, she worked at various jobs until she retired and they moved to Loa. Mom and dad were called to serve in the Western Australia Mission. They loved their time there and made many wonderful friends. After returning home, they faithfully served as ordinance workers in the Manti, Utah Temple for 21 years. Mom served in every auxiliary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and had a strong testimony of the restored gospel. We were very fortunate to have both parents for as long as we have. When we asked mom if there was something she thought she still needed to do before she died, she said, “Well, if it’s genealogy, I’m going to live forever, cause I’m not doing it!” Family was most important in her life. We never entered or left their home without a hug from mom. She was loving and very appreciative of all the kindnesses shown to her. She had a great laugh and sense of humor. Her older grandchildren loved to bring their friends to Loa to meet their feisty grandma. She was active. She loved to square dance, bowl, camp, and play games. She taught many of us the fine art of sewing, making bread, and quilting. She enjoyed playing cards and having a Pepsi daily with her sisters. LaRee is survived by her husband of 74 years, Clifford; her children, Jeff (Chris) Olsen, Pam (Les) Park, Denise (Rob) Schofield, Candy (Reed) Hawkes, Terry (Steve) Jensen; and Delma Naef, Sister-In-Law. She has 20 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren, 11 great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, seven siblings: Grant Lamar, Erma, Ole Leo, Nathan Doyle, Etta, LaVee, Ann, and their spouses; Clinton Olsen, grandson, and Aubrey Jensen, great-granddaughter. Special thanks to Connie Durfey, Teri Leavitt and Julie Jeffery with Six County and Hospice for your compassionate and loving service to our mom. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 1:00 pm in the Loa LDS Stake Center where friends may call for viewing Saturday morning from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. prior to the services. Burial will be in the Lyman Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.