8
trees
planted in memory of Wanda Jean Olson
Obituary for Wanda Jean Olson
Jean was called home to the Lord’s house October 9, 2022, while at home with family at her side, after a long battle with Multiple System Atrophy and a short battle with cancer.
Wanda Jean (Matteson) Olson was born on January 4, 1958, in Butte, Montana to Howard and Doreen (Williams) Matteson. While her first name was Wanda, family and friends knew her as Jean.
Growing up in Butte with her five siblings was an adventure that she cherished throughout her life. Through grade school, middle school, high school, and college, she was an avid athlete, excelling in track and field. Jean outclassed many of her opponents in the 440 and often anchored the 4 X 440 relay. Those skills won her an athletic scholarship to Flathead Valley Community College in 1976. In 1977 at the NJCAA national finals Jean won the 440 and anchored the 4 X 440 relay breaking the national record.
While still in high school, Jean met Alan Olson, who was working at the Butte stockyards. Jean and Alan dated through her senior year in high school and continued a long-distance relationship through her first year of college, getting engaged in December of 1976. They were married on August 6th, 1977, in Butte. Shortly thereafter they moved to Havre where Alan went to work in the oil fields of Montana making Jean an “Oil Patch Widow,” and Jean went to work in the Hill County Treasurer’s Office. While in Havre they had two children, Matthew in 1980, and Erika in 1982. In 1984 Alan’s job took them to Glendive where their youngest child, Kristen was born that same year. In 1987 Alan’s job took them on one last move when his job took them to Roundup where they made their forever home. After moving to Roundup, Jean went to work at a local bank and continued working there until 2001, Jean then went to Area II Agency on Aging where she stayed until retiring in 2016.
Through the years Jean coached baseball when her kids were little, took Matt hunting in her car, and was an avid 4-H mom. Jean never missed one of her kid’s sporting events or extracurricular activities, always finding time to help with their projects and getting them where they needed to go. In her free time Jean would always enjoy taking on some type of art or craft project from making up a new quilt to some type of ceramics and crafts with a group of friends or watching a soap opera in her personal time.
Jean held her family in the highest regard and as she and Alan became grandparents, she took on the duties of grandma (“Mia” as all the grandkids knew her) just as well as she had done as a mother, never missing a ball game, 4H sale, school program or any other event the grandkids would invite Papa and Mia to. It seemed early on that Jean would only be blessed with grandsons then came the announcement of her first granddaughter followed by two additional blessings totaling eight grandchildren.
Jean is preceded in death by her father, Howard. She is survived by her loving husband of 45 years Alan, mother Doreen, brothers Howard, Ray (Fran) Matteson, Rob (Lucretia) Matteson, twin sister Rhonda Joan Ruckdaschel, sister Debbie Matteson, children Matthew (Rebecca) Olson, Erika (Adam) Stanley, and Kristen (Brandon) Siemers, grandchildren James, Jordan, Lukus, Ryan, Lane, Abigail, Jesse, and Isabelle, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
Jean will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and anyone who knew her. The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Central Montana Medical Center in Lewistown and Compassus Hospice for all the great care they provided for Jean and her family. Cremation has taken place and memorial services will be held 11:30 am Saturday, October 15th at Zion Lutheran Church in Roundup. Memorials and donations can be made to the Zion Lutheran Church in Roundup, MT
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Previous Events
Celebration of Life
Saturday
15
Oct
11:30 AM
Zion Lutheran Church
401 6th St. West
Roundup, MT 59072
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