Jean was born on November 26, 1943 in Salt Lake City to Vivian Wangsgard and Walter Blake Fitzgerald. She often mentioned her fun growing up years in the Holladay/Cottonwood area with her parents, brother and four sisters.
She met Paul Olsen at Granite High School and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 16, 1972. She felt it was a blessing to have two daughters and seven grandchildren.
After graduating from the U of U in Elementary Education, Jean taught school for 30 years in Granite and Jordan School Districts.
Jean was creative and loved art, photography, and decorating. At Christmas, every year, she filled her home with Christmas Scandinavian decorations. She had a passion for entertaining at Christmas and Halloween. She had a talent for setting a dinner table using her many sets of dishes. Collecting recipes was something she continually did.
As a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jean served in a variety of church callings. She had a love for the Savior, the Gospel and her pioneer heritage. She especially loved the Relief Society and serving in the Salt Lake Temple with her husband for many years. Her associations with the sisters she served with in the temple made particularly sweet memories for her.
A favorite saying of Jean’s was, “Best of All I love the Fall”. She loved the color and excitement of autumn. She enjoyed attending BYU football with Paul.
Jean loved her kind and caring husband and family. Paul and Jean give a special thanks to Shelly and Jason Frampton for their overwhelming loving support and assistance to Kaitlyn, Kyleigh, and Kourtney. Jean thought Rich and Joan Bennion, George and Wendy Middleton, Carolyn Sanchez, Sandy and Milt Thackeray, Shauna Wheatley, Michelle Huxtable, and Poipu Pals were the best examples of Christ-like ministers. Jean had an appreciation for her dear friends, neighbors, and compassionate ward members who continually helped, sometimes anonymously.
Jean and Paul were especially grateful for the excellent medical care she received from Dr. Greg Litton, Dr. Randy Ryser, Dr. Josh Bradley, and Sharleen Miner, RN over the time she battled lymphoma.
Jean is survived by her husband, Paul Olsen, two daughters Christie Gibson (Russell, deceased) Susie Christensen (Andrew) and seven grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Kyleigh, Kourtney, Ainsley, Boone, Calvin, and Maren. She is also survived by her brother, Kent Fitzgerald (Judy), and her four sisters, Lily Ann Peeler (David, deceased), Valerie Marsh (Davie), Elaine Hart (Wayne), and Kathy Kay (Tom). She is preceded in death by her parents.
There will be a viewing on Monday, February 21, 2022 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84106. Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at the Holladay 28th Ward Building, 2625 E. Milo Way (4910 S.) at 11:00 a.m., with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 a.m. preceding the service. The service will be streamed on YouTube, and can be accessed by entering “Holladay 28th Ward” in the search bar.
Following the chapel service, interment at the Memorial Holladay Cemetery, 4900 S Memory Lane, Holladay, UT.
