Barbara E. Olsen

Barbara E. Olsen, age 75, rose into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ peacefully on Thursday, January 24, 2019, at her home in Prescott. She was born March 28, 1943, in Mauston, WI to Sam and Irene Eltag who were dairy farmers. Barb spent her childhood years working on the farm, driving tractor, milking cows and raising all sorts of animals as champion 4-H projects. It is on the farm that she developed a deep love for animals, something she would pass on to her children. The farm, which she still owns, has been in her family for 120 years. Barb was a 1961 graduate of Mauston High School. In the 1970’s with her three daughters, Kathi, Kristi, and Scoob and a trailer full of champion lambs in tow, she moved west to Prescott. In 1979, she was hired by Mike and Sherrill Olsen and worked at both Olsen’s Chino Valley Grain and The Prescott Grainery. This is where she met Dan and worked alongside him in opening and operating Olsen’s Dewey Grain for 25 years. True love grew out of their friendship and they married on September 28, 1985. In 1987, Barb gave birth to their son Jeff. During her 41 years of raising kids, she was a loving mother who volunteered countless hours as a 4-H leader, a classroom volunteer and in various other roles whenever called upon. Barb loved the Lord and in her later years especially loved going to church, attending Women of Wisdom and making Layettes for underprivileged babies born at YRMC. Barb was preceeded in death by her parents, Sam and Irene Eltag, her sister and brother-in-law, Sandy and Elgin Stanek and her very best friend for many years, Lorainne Langston. Barb is survived by her loving husband Dan, her children Kristi Hubbard (Warren), Scoob Staubus, Jeff Olsen and Kathy Glover (Rick). She is also survived by her grandchildren Ally, Megan and Coleman. A heartfelt special thank you is extended to Dr. Richard Covey, Jenny Pino RN, Chaplain Leigh Downing and the entire Maggie’s Hospice team as well as to Lisa Lefebvre and Toni Foster for their loving care during Barb’s journey to her eternal home! Family, friends, and others whose lives Barb touched are invited to her “Celebration of Life” Memorial Service at Mountaintop Christian Fellowship, 660 Sixth Street, Prescott, at 11am Saturday, February 2, 2019. Following the service there will be a luncheon where we will love, laugh, grieve, support each other and, of course, just chat.