Josephine L Olafson-Ericksen

She was born Josephine Lawless in New York City, April 14, 1928, the fourth of six children of Joseph P. and Maria (Piekart) Lawless. She lived in Morningside Heights, the Bronx, and Washington Heights before relocating to Duluth, Minnesota in 1948. One weekend she accompanied some girlfriends on a trip to Hibbing, Minnesota and at a dance at a veterans club there met a returned soldier and graduate student, Jon Olafson, who was similarly visiting Hibbing.. True romance blossomed and they were married in October, 1950. Their honeymoon was the train trip from Duluth to Los Angeles, where Jon had begun his professional career in the research department at UCLA. They were eventually blessed with three sons, and lived in a number of places before arriving in Kirkland, Washington in 1974.

Jo enjoyed a variety of jobs in her working years, most commonly in banking and bookkeeping. She was a terrific and dedicated mother, who looked for opportunities to teach her sons important lessons about character, integrity, self-reliance and of being of service to others. She was thoughtful and generous to the end, finding opportunities to support and encourage her children even as they were mature adults, and always looking for thoughtful gifts to give to people she cherished. She was unendingly gracious and kind. Her manners were impeccable.

Following the death of Jon Olafson in 1992, the Reverend Henry Ericksen courted Jo, and they married in 1993. Their twenty-year marriage involved many trips to commencements and weddings of the grandchildren in the Ericksen family, and also vacations to Alaska, Norway, Hawaii, and the Holy Land. Henry passed away in 2014.

In her subsequent years, Jo lived a strong, independent life. She remained active in the congregation at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Kirkland, and also enjoyed many continuing friendships from her years of worship at First Lutheran Church in Bothell, Washington.

She is survived by her sons Eric (Jana), Theodore, and Christopher Olafson, as well as grandchildren Adam (Lynnell), Tierney, and Joseph, and her sister Roberta Magee. Many nieces and nephews are missing her.

Also left to grieve are the children of Henry Ericksen, Ann (Tim) Anderson, James (Liz) Ericksen, Elizabeth (Steve) Luttio, and David (Nancy) Ericksen, as well as their children and grandchildren. The Ericksen's welcomed Jo and her sons into their large family with much enthusiasm and grace. It was a very special union of two great Nordic families.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, 2022, at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Kirkland. Memorial gifts may be sent to the donor’s charity of choice.