Eunice Loretta (Boldt) Olson passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on September 1, 2021 in Manteca at the age of 81. She was a devoted wife, mother of five, grandmother of nine, and great-grandmother. She was dedicated to serving her church, school, and neighborhood communities, and will be remembered by the many lives she touched for her giving heart and fun-loving spirit.
Eunice was born on April 10, 1940 in Austin, Minnesota, to Roy and Loretta Boldt, originally of Des Moines, Iowa. She was the baby girl of the family, and adored her older brothers, Donald and David. During World War II, the family lived in Pacific Grove, Calif., where her father, an Army Chaplain, was stationed before his deployment to Europe. After the War, the family settled in Portland, Ore.
Euni grew up as a "PK" (pastor's kid) in the church parsonage. Her father was a Baptist minister, and her mother the church pianist. During her childhood in Portland, she loved to ride her bike around town. For her high school years, Euni moved with her parents to the rodeo town of Prescott, Ariz., where she played cornet in the school marching band.
Euni attended Westmont College in Montecito, Calif., where she met her future husband, Kenneth Olson, and graduated in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a teaching credential. The couple, who would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary next year, wed on December 28, 1962. Euni began her career in education as a third grade teacher in Ojai, Calif. She enjoyed young married life in Corvallis, Ore. where Ken pursued graduate studies in biochemistry.
With an adventurous spirit, and three little girls in tow, Euni embraced a move across the country to New Jersey, where her husband began his career as a biochemist at Hoffman-La Roche. When the family grew to five daughters, they bought a Victorian house in Caldwell, NJ, which Euni decorated in a historic style. They found a church family where Euni served in the nursery, junior high youth group, and Bible quiz team. Euni was patriotic and loved parades, historic sites, and traveling with the family, visiting 49 states.
Euni was a teacher and music lover who filled the family home with books, musical instruments, games, pets, arts and crafts, sewing projects, baking cookies, and laughter. She had the gift of hospitality, and the Olson home was often filled with friends and family, old and new.
In 1979 the Olson family moved back west to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Ken was recruited to a biotech startup, Genentech. They lived first in Burlingame and then in Foster City. Euni taught reading at McKinley Elementary School and returned to college for a certificate in Early Childhood Education. Throughout the 1980s she was a preschool teacher at Westcott Preschool. In the 1990s she volunteered at Holt Children's Services as a greeter of Korean babies to facilitate international adoptions. She served in various churches in the choir, senior ministry, and Bible study groups.
In her retirement years, Euni enjoyed spending time with her nine grandchildren, traveling internationally, and hosting friends from near and far. She traveled with Ken to European destinations and on group tours, and they enjoyed cruises to Alaska, Mexico, and the Panama Canal.
In 2010 Euni and Ken moved to Del Webb, an active adult community in Manteca, and became members of Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton. At Del Webb, Euni joined the women's Bible study and continued her love of music as a member of the Woodbridge Singers and of "Strummin' Wonders," a performing ukelele band.
Although Euni began to slow down physically, her social networking remained active. Every year, without fail, she remembered hundreds of friends and family with handwritten birthday, anniversary, and holiday cards.
Eunice is survived by her loving husband, Ken; her daughters Wendi Olson Crocker (Laramie), Tammi Foster (Jim, deceased), Lauri McInnis (Ron), Nanci Olson Gundry (Mark), and Marci Barta (Rob); her grandchildren Lukas (Ada), Jordan, Jessica, Sam, Colin (Alby), Deanna, Blake, Kelly, and Peter; and great-granddaughter, Violette. She is preceded in death by her brother, Donald Boldt (Jo Anne) and survived by her brother, David Boldt (Betty).
A celebration of life service will be held at Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton on October 30, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. A reception and luncheon will follow at 12:45. The address is 1904 Quail Lakes Dr., Stockton, CA 95207.
If you would like to make a donation in memory of Eunice Olson, consider one of two charitable organizations, Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center, at P.O. Box 413, Mount Hermon, CA 95041 https://www.mounthermon.org/give/, or Samaritan's Purse Children's Fund at Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 https://sampur.se/3EYltC2.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Eunice was born on April 10, 1940 in Austin, Minnesota, to Roy and Loretta Boldt, originally of Des Moines, Iowa. She was the baby girl of the family, and adored her older brothers, Donald and David. During World War II, the family lived in Pacific Grove, Calif., where her father, an Army Chaplain, was stationed before his deployment to Europe. After the War, the family settled in Portland, Ore.
Euni grew up as a "PK" (pastor's kid) in the church parsonage. Her father was a Baptist minister, and her mother the church pianist. During her childhood in Portland, she loved to ride her bike around town. For her high school years, Euni moved with her parents to the rodeo town of Prescott, Ariz., where she played cornet in the school marching band.
Euni attended Westmont College in Montecito, Calif., where she met her future husband, Kenneth Olson, and graduated in 1962 with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a teaching credential. The couple, who would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary next year, wed on December 28, 1962. Euni began her career in education as a third grade teacher in Ojai, Calif. She enjoyed young married life in Corvallis, Ore. where Ken pursued graduate studies in biochemistry.
With an adventurous spirit, and three little girls in tow, Euni embraced a move across the country to New Jersey, where her husband began his career as a biochemist at Hoffman-La Roche. When the family grew to five daughters, they bought a Victorian house in Caldwell, NJ, which Euni decorated in a historic style. They found a church family where Euni served in the nursery, junior high youth group, and Bible quiz team. Euni was patriotic and loved parades, historic sites, and traveling with the family, visiting 49 states.
Euni was a teacher and music lover who filled the family home with books, musical instruments, games, pets, arts and crafts, sewing projects, baking cookies, and laughter. She had the gift of hospitality, and the Olson home was often filled with friends and family, old and new.
In 1979 the Olson family moved back west to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Ken was recruited to a biotech startup, Genentech. They lived first in Burlingame and then in Foster City. Euni taught reading at McKinley Elementary School and returned to college for a certificate in Early Childhood Education. Throughout the 1980s she was a preschool teacher at Westcott Preschool. In the 1990s she volunteered at Holt Children's Services as a greeter of Korean babies to facilitate international adoptions. She served in various churches in the choir, senior ministry, and Bible study groups.
In her retirement years, Euni enjoyed spending time with her nine grandchildren, traveling internationally, and hosting friends from near and far. She traveled with Ken to European destinations and on group tours, and they enjoyed cruises to Alaska, Mexico, and the Panama Canal.
In 2010 Euni and Ken moved to Del Webb, an active adult community in Manteca, and became members of Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton. At Del Webb, Euni joined the women's Bible study and continued her love of music as a member of the Woodbridge Singers and of "Strummin' Wonders," a performing ukelele band.
Although Euni began to slow down physically, her social networking remained active. Every year, without fail, she remembered hundreds of friends and family with handwritten birthday, anniversary, and holiday cards.
Eunice is survived by her loving husband, Ken; her daughters Wendi Olson Crocker (Laramie), Tammi Foster (Jim, deceased), Lauri McInnis (Ron), Nanci Olson Gundry (Mark), and Marci Barta (Rob); her grandchildren Lukas (Ada), Jordan, Jessica, Sam, Colin (Alby), Deanna, Blake, Kelly, and Peter; and great-granddaughter, Violette. She is preceded in death by her brother, Donald Boldt (Jo Anne) and survived by her brother, David Boldt (Betty).
A celebration of life service will be held at Quail Lakes Baptist Church in Stockton on October 30, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. A reception and luncheon will follow at 12:45. The address is 1904 Quail Lakes Dr., Stockton, CA 95207.
If you would like to make a donation in memory of Eunice Olson, consider one of two charitable organizations, Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center, at P.O. Box 413, Mount Hermon, CA 95041 https://www.mounthermon.org/give/, or Samaritan's Purse Children's Fund at Samaritan's Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 https://sampur.se/3EYltC2.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Thursday, October 28, 2021
