Obituary - Emma Olga Olsen

Wednesday, December 27, 2006
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Emma Olga Olsen, a longtime community and Alaska Native Sisterhood leader, died the morning of Dec. 26, 2006, in Juneau. She was 87.

Born July 22, 1919, in Dundas Bay to Sam and Sally Hopkins, she was a Yaashundoosteen, of the Tin.aa.Hit (Copper Shield House) of the Kiks.adi, Frog Tribe. She married her husband of 63 years, Oscar P. Olsen, on April 12, 1945, in Juneau.

She served 15 terms as president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2, and was one of the longest serving presidents in the camp's history.

She learned the importance of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and ANS from her parents and continued in their footsteps.

During her tenure as president of Camp 2, her focus was always on education. The "Tlingit Tea for Teachers" was initiated during her presidency, as well as JOM.

Juneau's Indian Studies programs were a top priority during her administration.

She was also concerned with fundraising. Under her leadership, the sisters worked hard to raise money for the Juneau Children's Home, the Public Health Service Alaska Native Health Clinic and St. Nicholas Orthodox Church. She and the sisters also hosted dinners for graduating seniors, a Christmas party for children and an annual Founder's Day dinner that honored life members of the ANS.

She was active in the formation of SEARHC as chair of the Juneau Clinic Advisory Board. She and her husband have been among the most generous donors of Native foods for the annual Gold Medal Native foods fundraiser. Her culture was very important. She was a member of the Yaaaw Tei Yi (Herring Rock) Dancers.

She was the last surviving member of her seven siblings.

She is survived by her husband; sons Ole Olsen, of Phoenix; Fred Hopkins and his wife, Marietta; Erling Olsen and his wife, Sharon, of Juneau; Eric Olsen, his wife Pat, of Juneau, as well as nine grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the ANB Hall. A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the ANB Hall.

Pallbearers will be Fred E. Hopkins, Jason Murdoch, O.P. Olsen, John Shorty, Ozzie Sheakley and Shorty Tonsgard. Honorary pallbearers are Bob Anderson John Duncan, Archie Nielsen, John Nielsen, George Williams, Len Sevdy, Sam Wanamaker, Randy Wanamaker, Ron Williams, Marcello Quinto, Ralph Knundson, Ole Taug and Andy Ebona.

Thursday, December 28, 2006
THE JUNEAU EMPIRE

Emma Olga Olsen, 1919-2006: Native leader pioneered education, set an example
Memorial service to be held at 7 tonight at ANB Hall

By KORRY KEEKER
JUNEAU EMPIRE

When Emma Olsen graduated from eighth grade in the mid-1930s, she didn't have much chance to advance her education. The high schools were segregated.

"She wanted to go to a high school, but could not do that," said Marie Olson, Emma's niece. "That was one of her goals later in life, to support many of the children that wanted to go to high school."

Olsen, a longtime community leader and a 15-term president of Alaska Native Sisterhood Camp 2, was a pioneer of Native education programs. She died Tuesday in Juneau at the age of 87.

A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall, and a funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the ANB.

"She was a very dedicated individual who wanted to see things get done in a positive way," said her nephew, Andy Ebona.

"She was very much interested in working on the educational side of things, especially in the school district. She was also involved in the health organizations, representing the community at the SEARHC medical clinic. She was very committed to making sure that she was present at meetings and contributing to the discussions of whatever was going on at the time."

Olsen was born July 22, 1919, in Dundas Bay to Sam and Sally Hopkins. She was a Yaashundoosteen, of the Tin.aa.Hit (Copper Shield House) of the Kiks.adi, Frog Tribe.

Her parents brought her up in the Alaska Native Brotherhood and instilled a deep appreciation for her culture, Olson said.

"(Her parents) were not only performers for special events, but also at potlatches," Ebona said. "Emma could speak the Tlingit language fluently. She always knew what was happening when people were speaking publicly or at potlatches."

Olsen married her husband of 61 years, Oscar P. Olsen, on April 12, 1945, in Juneau. The two of them have been generous donors at the annual Gold Medal Native food fundraiser.

"I think she worked all her life," Olson said. "She worked right alongside her husband.

"They had a logging camp, and she was the cook," she said. "I have never seen anybody else look at something and say, 'Yes, we can do that.' I would panic if somebody asked me to cook for a group of people. Not Emma. She could whip up a meal. Some of her breads and cakes and pies? Delicious."

As president of Camp 2, Olsen concentrated on education. She began the Tlingit Tea for Teachers program and supported the Juneau's Indian Studies programs. She also talked about revitalizing the Tlingit language.

"She had an interest in education that included everyone, and particularly the Alaska Native child," Ebona said. "She was obviously interested in the high dropout rate and felt that those issues needed to be addressed more firmly. The alternative forms of education were also a priority, especially for those kids that were not succeeding in the regular school system."

As chairwoman of the Juneau Clinic Advisory Board, Olsen helped form the SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium.

She eventually earned her general equivalency diploma and entered the GED Hall of Fame, a program that the ANS supported.

"It wasn't just herself that she pushed," Olson said. "She pushed and encouraged a lot of younger people to do better. Doing good wasn't good enough."

Juneau resident Connie Munro met Olsen in 1971. Olsen encouraged her to attend ANS meetings and meet more of the women in the community.

"She encouraged young people to join," Munro said. "She encouraged anyone to join. She really paid attention to the ANB constitution and what we were all doing there.

"We could always count on her," she said. "She was the kind of leader that actually did the physical grunt work. She was a wonderful cook. You would find her in the ANB Hall kitchen, when we had the old hall and the new hall."

Olsen was also a prominent member of the Yaaaw Tei Yi (Herring Rock Dancers) dance group, formed by her sister, Amy Nelson.