Bettendorf – Barbara Esther Olson, 73, of Bettendorf, passed away July 16, 2022, at home. Barb was born February 1, 1949, in Geneseo, IL. She was the daughter of Hubert and Dorothy (Stewart) Olson. Barb grew up on a farm in Osco, IL and moved with her family to Cambridge during high school when her father passed away.
Barb graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago, and favorite parts of her career were managing a hotel in the Orlando, FL area and owning a large cleaning business for over 25 years in the Quad Cities area.
Barb loved to travel and visited China, England, Italy, and most states throughout the USA. She also enjoyed participating in book clubs, card clubs, playing mahjong, being active in church life, hosting parties, and especially enjoyed daily life with her beloved grandchildren. She was a member of PEO Chapter LH. Her greatest joy was spending time with family and friends. She made everyone feel important and loved.
Those left to honor her memory are her sister Joann Munson, Kirkwood, MO; brother Pat (MaryAnn) Murphy, Surprise, AZ; daughters Christine (Kurt) Zimmerman, Bettendorf, IA and Abigail Souder, Iowa City, IA; grandchildren Cameron and Kaitlin Zimmerman; as well as her dear nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Service will be held Saturday, July 30, 2022, at Asbury United Methodist Church, 1809 Mississippi Blvd, Bettendorf, Iowa. Visitation will be 11:00 - 1:00, with the funeral at 1:00 and a luncheon immediately following at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation where a tribute will be established in Barb’s honor (NLMSF.org) and the River Bend Food Bank, Davenport.
