Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Olsen

Mary Elizabeth Olsen, known to her friends and family as Betty, passed away on July 17th, 2019. She was born June 19th, 1919 in Chicago to Thomas Irwin Foster and Blanche Burns Foster. Growing up in Oak Park, Betty volunteered her time in high school with the Infant Welfare League caring for needy children at the settlement house. She raised money for this organization by hosting large bridge parties and dances. She was an honor student and had the lead in her high school play. She started playing golf at age 10, winning several junior championships in her youth.

She graduated from Butler in 1941 where she met her future husband, William Johan (Bill) Olsen. Betty was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and was honored at Kappa State Day for top grades in the state. After college, World War II took over. Betty and Bill were married in 1942 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. She then followed him to his assignment at Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. While there, she worked for the Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company. When Bill was deployed to North Africa and Italy in 1943, Betty moved to the Chicago home of her parents, T.I. and Blanche, and soon after gave birth to son Thomas Foster Olsen. In 1946, husband Bill returned home from the war and was introduced to his son Thomas, who was by then three years old. Bill resumed his career with Indiana Bell, which necessitated the family moving to South Bend, Muncie, and then Indianapolis where twin sons William Bruce (Bill) and Robert Stephen Olsen (Bob) were born in 1948. Son David Edward Olsen was born in Muncie in 1958.

Betty was a member of the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Indianapolis Women’s Club, the Welfare Service League, and Second Presbyterian Church where she served as an Elder. Her son Bob died from ALS in 2000 and Betty served on the ALS Association of Indiana board of directors for many years. She remained an avid golfer at Crooked Stick Golf Club well into her 90’s, even winning their Senior Women’s Championship in 1995.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, two sons Bob and David, her parents T.I. and Blanche Foster, brother William (Bill) Foster, and daughter-in-law Cheryl Partridge Olsen. She is survived by her two sons Bill and Tom, two daughters-in-law Marilyn Benninger Olsen and Beverly Freije Olsen, six grandchildren Alexander, Andrew, Christian, Joshua, Michael (Millikan), and Timothy, and six great-grandchildren Abigail, Caleb, June, Matthew, Michael, and William.

At age 91, Betty moved into Marquette Terraces where she celebrated her 100th birthday on June 19th, 2019. Family and friends from across the hall, the city, the country, and even the Atlantic mobilized to gather and celebrate a century of her grace, charm, sharp wit, love for family and friends, strength of character, and deep faith. Betty, as always, put all her energy into reciprocating love and affection to all who came during a week-long series of marvelous parties.

A memorial service will be held at Second Presbyterian Church on Monday July 22nd at 1:30 p.m. with a visitation beginning at 12 p.m. In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial gift to either Second Presbyterian Church or the Indiana Chapter of the ALS Association.