Karen L. Olson, age 61, of Lyons, Nebraska passed away Wednesday, August 16, 2017, at Oakland Heights in Oakland, Nebraska. Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, August 19, 2017, at 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lyons. Burial will be in the Lyons Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday, from 5-7 p.m. with family receiving friends and Vigil Service at 7 p.m. all at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Lyons. Visitation will also be held at the church one hour prior to service. Memorials are suggested to the family for later designation. Pelan Funeral Services in Lyons in charge of arrangements.

Karen L. (Lilly) Olson was born to Charles and Betty (Iglar) Lilly on June 30, 1956. She was born in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. She passed away on August 16, 2017, at Oakland Heights, from Posterior Cortical Atrophy, a form of Alzheimer’s.

Karen and her family lived in McDonald, PA, before moving to the family farm between Lyons and Decatur, Nebraska when she was two years old. She attended the Bacon Country School down the road. She attended Lyons High School and graduated from Reese and Sybil Beauty School in 1976.

On August 27, 1976, she was married to her high school sweetheart, Mike Olson. They lived in Oakland and Hastings before moving to Lyons where they spent most of their lives. Karen was a beautician and helped Mike by running the office at the alfalfa mill.

Karen was an active member of her church and community until the onset of her Alzheimer’s. Her favorite thing to do was to spend time with her family.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charles; nephew, Joseph; great niece, Lena.

Survivors include her husband, Mike; children: Ryan (Marti) Olson of Arlington, NE, Erin (Travis) Raabe of Lyons, Andrew (Carrie) Olson of Omaha, NE; three grandchildren: Darren, Carter, and Katelyn; mother, Betty Lilly of Lyons; siblings: Jan (Don) Bray of Lyons, Lisa (Mike) Tranmer of Wahoo, NE, Michael (Sue) Lilly of Ceresco, NE; many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.