Obituary: Bessie Lee Olsen
Published: Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2000 5:14 p.m. MST

Bessie Lee Olsen peacefully passed away at the Crosslands Care Center, Sandy, Utah on Dec. 10, 2000.

She was preceded in death by her parents, six sisters, three brothers and husband.

Bessie was born in Cowley, Wyoming on October 1, 1904, to James Alma Lee and Chloe Baird. She attended schools in Syracuse, Utah and Kimberly, ID. Bessie received nurses training at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City. After graduating, Bessie worked in hospitals in Hollywood, California, Saint Louis Missouri and Port Clinton, Ohio.
From the archive

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She married Albert Lamoin Olsen, a medical doctor, in 1929. They resided in Missouri, Utah, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota and California. In 1985 she moved to Bozeman, Montana. In Montana Bessie lived with her daughter, Wanda Marie Bodily and son-in-law, Dennis Bodily.

Her life was devoted to caring for and serving others. Besides tending the sick, she aided her church and community as presidents of the Battle Creek, Michigan, Relief Society, Women's and Garden Clubs and hosting various Veterans Administration women's groups.

Bessie will be remembered for her kindness to the school children, the less fortunate in the community, her neighbors and family. She was an accomplished artist doing over seventy oil paintings. Bessie loved music and delighted in playing the piano and organ. She enjoyed growing and arranging flowers. Her summers were spent gardening.

She is survived by a sister, Romola Nichols, Palos Verdes Estates, California; her daughter and son-in-law Wanda Marie and Dennis Bodily, St. George, Utah; son and daughter-in-law Albert and Joan Olsen, American Fork, Utah; grandchildren, Kurt Bodily, Springville, Utah; Troy Bodily, Idaho Falls, Idaho; Trisa Philbrick, Rigecrest, California; Jan Young, Vernal, Utah; Carolyn Miles, Vancouver, Washington; Alan Olsen, Fremont, California; Arlen Olsen, Clifton Park, New York; Albert Olsen, Vancouver, Washington; and 36 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at noon on Wednesday, December 13, 2000 at the Larkin Mortuary chapel, 260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City. Friends and family may call one hour prior to the service.

Interment will be at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Salt Lake City.

Note - "Albert Olsen is buried in Hayward California. Bessie is buried in Salt Lake County Utah. Bessie was to be buried by the side of her husband, Albert, but since she died in Utah, the family decided not to transport the body to California (750 mile) trip. Instead, they bought two headstones and put them on top of the empty grave in California (Bessies empty grave) and Utah (Alberts empty grave)." - Alan Olsen. The stone with the Temple on it is the one in Utah. The stone with the flag on it is the one in California.