Obituary - Janet Olson

Janet Olson, 89, passed away peacefully with family at her side on November 10, 2020, after failing health for the past four years.

Janet was born August 31, 1931 to Fred and Martha (Solomon) Olson. Janet was the last born of nine children. She was born with physical complications so all of the older children pampered and loved their baby sister to the end of the earth.

Janet’s family ranched south of Chinook. Reading and learning was always her life, at age 10, she read the original “Gone with the Wind.” Janet loved all of her educational experience from attending grade school in country schools, attending high school at Havre High, graduating and attending Northern Montana College obtaining a two-year, four-year, and double masters degrees.

Janet taught for 33 years, three years at country schools, and 30 years at the Meadowlark school in Chinook. Janet’s passion was talking about and remembering each and every student she had, from holding them on her lap to relax them to feel comfortable in her classroom to playing games with them to expand their learning experience. Her room was always decorated for every month of the school year which the children loved to see all the new decorations.

Janet’s other passion was clothes, she loved shopping and opening boxes at the store (EnJ Style Shop) with her beloved sister Elsa. One of her favorite things was going through her clothes and making outfits. Janet did that at the Sweet Home until her passing. Janet lived her entire life with her mother and father, her brother Harry (until he married in 1991) and her sister Elsa. Elsa and Janet were only separated for 2 years of Janet’s 89 years of life. They were literally two peas in a pod. Janet was a second mother to Elsa’s three children, Dawn, Denys, and Darlene. Janet was able to love endlessly and do wonderful things for them. Drive fast in Denys’s fast cars, listen to rock’n roll and Denys’s band the “Sir Men”, go to teacher’s conventions and shop for Dawn and Darlene’s prom dresses, Snowball Dresses, and Rainbow girl dresses. Janet also encouraged all of her nieces and nephews to pursue education or a career choice they loved. Janet loved all of her nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces. Janet always enjoyed attending every school concert she could attend or any function any of her family members were participating in.

Janet is survived by her sister, Elsa Pomeroy, nieces Dawn Overcast (Ken), and Darlene Pomeroy, her great-nephews, T.J. Overcast (Tara), Seth Pomeroy (Ashley), Nathan Pomeroy (Leslie); great-nieces Karleen Halingstad (Lance) and Camille Pomeroy. Janet is also survived by nine other nieces and nephews, many great-nieces and great-nephews, and many great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Janet is preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Martha Olson; her brothers Harry, Russell, and Edward Olson; her sisters Marie Grant, Elizabeth Hill, Ruth Hofeldt, and infant sister Edith Olson; her most-beloved nephew, Denys Pomeroy; her great-nephew Shea Pomeroy, and her nephew-in-law Jack Harrington.

Memorials may be made to Blaine County Library or a donation of one’s choice. A private family burial will be in the spring of 2021.

Arrangements are being made by Wilderness Funeral home of Chinook. Condolences may be sent to the family at

P.O. Box 579, Chinook MT 59523.