Charlotte Olson Morrison

Charlotte O. Morrison (nee Olson), 91, beloved wife of the late Patrick Joseph “Joe” Morrison, loving mother of Jim (Diane) of Boise, ID; Pat (Rosanne) of Rockford, IL; Marty (Jody) of Park City, UT; Tim (Christy) of La Grange Park, IL; Barbara Jo (Jim) Morrison-McKay of Huntington Beach, CA; and Paul (Kathleen) of Oak Lawn, IL; cherished nana of Amanda (Jeff) Dolian, Danielle (Jensen) Zarran, Mike (Sara), Kevin (Ang), Greg (Jess), Rick, Laurel, Joe and Marc; delighted great-nana of Emerson, Isabella, Gabriella, Evie, Ryan, Kate and Jake; dear sister of the late Ted (Eloise) Olson; much-loved sister-in-law of Rita (Carl) Daubner and Bill (the late Rose), as well as the late Marty & Genevieve “Pete,” Ann & Blair Dietz, Mae & George Wilson, Sadie & Joseph Connolly, and Therese & Joe Morrison-Sauris; treasured aunt of many nieces and nephews; and adored godmother of Julie (Craig) Humphreys, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2020. She was raised in a gentle and nurturing home by her Swedish-American parents, commercial photographer Theodore and certified public accountant Anna Olson (nee Hoyer), together with her older brother Ted, whom she admired to no end.

Although a great student whose favorite subject was math, her artistic talents earned her a coveted spot at the American Academy of Art at the Art Institute of Chicago two years below the minimum age requirement based on the encouragement and letter of recommendation by her high school art teacher, where she then traveled by bus every Saturday for years of immersive art studies. At the age of 17 she started working as an illustrator at the Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust of Chicago, designing and illustrating employee newsletters and promotional materials. It was there she met her future husband Joe (a.k.a. “Mr. Mascara” for his lusciously long eyelashes), an Irish Catholic from a big, wonderful family that she happily married into four years later.

While raising their six children in a home full of love, laughter and every pet imaginable, her sanctuary was her beautifully tended garden and the great outdoors. Always a giving soul, she volunteered her artistic talents, first for St. Felicitas church of Chicago’s Mothers’ Club in the Avalon Park neighborhood where she grew up, then for the women’s guild of the church of the Most Holy Redeemer in Evergreen Park, IL, where for years she created all of the parish bulletins and large scale banners that hung on either side of the alter. Simultaneously, she devoted herself for more than three decades to teaching and life skills development training for the special needs students at the Park Lawn School & Activity Center and its Adult Vocational Services Center in Oak Lawn, IL - a job she was awarded without any degree or specialized training after years of positive and compassionate interactions with its students during her volunteer work designing and providing creatively inspired building and classroom decorations and signage. On the side she took up photography, perhaps pursuing skills inherited from her father, and delighted in capturing just the right light as it passed through flowers and more; she also designed and created exquisite handmade quilts of heirloom quality for each of her children and grandchildren. She retired in her early 70s to focus her attention on lovingly caring for her husband of 58 years through the final stages of his Alzheimer’s disease. Upon his death she renewed her passion for learning, studying watercolors for the first time in her life and winning awards in this difficult medium that challenged and tested her artistic abilities in new and wonderful ways.

Ultimately, Alzheimer’s crept up on her just as it had her husband and the Lord decided it was time to call her home. She was known for being unwaveringly kind, caring, patient, gentle, gracious and loving, traits that even Alzheimer’s could not rob her of. To say she will be missed is an understatement, but together with her husband she created a remarkable homelife that has provided each of her children with a lifetime’s worth of cherished memories and love.

Due to coronavirus/COVID-19 distancing measures in place at this time, services will be planned for a future date at Kenny Brothers Funeral Home in Evergreen Park, IL. In lieu of flowers or mass cards, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org or the charity of your choice.