In Memoriam

Rita M. Olson

1932-2023

PIERRE, SD—Rita Marie (Shipp) Olson, 91, of Pierre, South Dakota passed away October 19, 2023 with family by her side.

Rita was born in Paola, Kansas in 1932, the daughter of Glenn and Flossie DeMoss Shipp, joining an older sister Barbara. Fond childhood memories she shared included times spent with cousins at her grandparent’s farm near Paola. Stories of her teenage years often involved cruising town with her girlfriends in a Ford Model A rumble seat car, or helping prepare dinner when her parents were busy at the drugstore/soda shop where her father was a pharmacist. Rita graduated from Paola High School in 1950 and went on to the University of Kansas at Lawrence, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy in 1954.

While at KU, Rita met her future husband and lifelong companion, John E. Olson, a medical student. The couple were married on March 7, 1954, a beautiful early-spring day in Lawrence, Kansas. They skipped two days of classes to honeymoon in the Ozarks. While Rita worked as a physical therapist, John attended medical school and graduated in 1956. The next several years took the couple and their young sons to: Cooperstown, New York; Pensacola, Florida; Sunnyvale, California and Boston, Massachusetts as John completed his service in the U.S. Navy and medical education.

In 1965, after six household moves in nine years, John and Rita were grateful for the opportunity to make Cooperstown, New York their home when John accepted an appointment as an attending general surgeon at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital. Rita enjoyed a fulfilling, part-time career as a physical therapist, both at the hospital and for private patients, while supporting John in his 30-year medical career.  For many years, Rita volunteered at the hospital as a “pink lady,” assuring patients received flowers, reading material and other necessities.  She also worked the visitor’s reception desk, assisting folks in finding the rooms of patients they came to see. 

The Olsons raised their three sons—Stephen, Thomas and Timothy—on rural Christian Hill near Cooperstown. Rita was a dedicated mother and primarily a stay-at-home mom while her boys were of school age. She was a “soccer-mom” before there was such a thing, as the boys participated in many sports, including swimming, tennis, football, cross-country, alpine and cross-country ski racing, and track. The family enjoyed participating in many outdoor activities, such as alpine skiing and hiking with John, and her sons all being hunters and anglers. Years later, Rita admitted that she didn’t particularly care for having trout cleaned or squirrels skinned on the side kitchen counter, but said, “I never wanted to discourage you boys from hunting and fishing.” Perhaps out of necessity, Rita was an excellent wild game cook, with holiday meals often including game birds from local hunts and annual bird-hunting trips with family and friends to Kansas, Arizona, and South Dakota. She taught all of her sons the finer points of roasting mallard ducks to a proper medium rare. John and Rita also loved to spend time at their cabin in the Adirondacks, relaxing, hiking, and trolling traditional streamer flies for trout behind a rowboat on nearby lakes. 

Rita loved to read, visit museums and historic places when travelling, was handy at her sewing machine, and loved a good auction now and then, where she acquired many unique items for her home.  She and John always enjoyed attending local social and fund-raising events held by many Cooperstown area organizations. Shopping trips to Albany or New York City were always special for her and she was adept at hosting dinner and cocktail parties at their country home.  

John and Rita were classic romantics who loved to travel, explore new places, meet new people, and learn about their cultural traditions, foods, and art. They were privileged to travel extensively world-wide.  It was common for the couple to combine medical outreach efforts with these travel adventures. Rita once told her sons, “I couldn’t wait to get out of Paola,” and that started her love of traveling. Her travels led her to develop a fascination with China and she said, “I am so glad I was able to go there, it’s been a good life—interesting, exciting, lucky.” Following the loss of her husband in 2010, Rita moved to Pierre, South Dakota, near her youngest son, Timothy, his wife Paige, and their son, John, where she resided until her passing.  She much appreciated being welcomed into the Pierre community by new friends at the First United Methodist Church, the YMCA and her PEO chapter.

Rita will be deeply missed by family and friends and will be remembered as an ever-loving wife and mother and for her undying loyalty and passion for the KU Jayhawks men’s basketball team. “Rock Chalk Jayhawks.” Rita is survived by her three sons: Stephen E. Olson, MD, of Princeton, Oregon; Thomas G. Olson, of Walla Walla, Washington, and Timothy J. Olson (Paige), of Pierre, South Dakota; one grandson, John E. Olson, of Pierre; and numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Barbara Shipp Dunlap, and her husband of 56 years, Dr. John E. Olson.

Rita’s family extends their sincere appreciation to all of the caregivers for the kind, considerate, and understanding care they gave Rita in her last years at Edgewood Assisted Living and Memory Care in Pierre, South Dakota.

A family gathering will be held in Kansas at a later date. Arrangements are with Isburg Funeral Chapels, Pierre, South Dakota.