Marguerite S. Olson

Marguerite Olson, age 89, passed away at Whatcom Hospice House in Bellingham on Thursday, May 21, 2026. She was born in Bellingham to Jacob Ladd Smith Sr. and Charlotte (Roth) Smith on November 18, 1936.

Marguerite attended Campus School in Bellingham and Crofton House School in Vancouver, BC, graduating in 1953.

She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Washington and was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. She attended Western Washington University for continuing education for her teaching credential.

While attending the University of Washington, Marguerite met Robert B. Olson and they were married on September 14, 1957, in Bellingham. They lived in Seattle for 15 years, briefly on a houseboat on Portage Bay and later on Capitol Hill. Marguerite was active in the Children’s Orthopedic Guild and was a beloved tutor in remedial reading at Epiphany Day School.

Marguerite spent her childhood summers on Orcas Island and continued to do so with her family until they moved to Orcas in 1972, opening the Sears Store on Prune Alley in Eastsound. Marguerite quickly became immersed in the island community. She taught sixth grade at Nelly S. Milton School (Orcas Elementary) from 1973 to 1975. She was involved in the inception and growth of the Orcas Center. She appeared in numerous plays and musicals, and directed Readers’ Theatre productions. Marguerite was an active member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, serving on the Vestry and leading the charge for many years at Market Day. She was an accomplished and diverse artist, enjoying painting, pottery, textiles, needlepoint, quilting, beach glass, stained glass, and blue glass, while also extending her creativity to poetry and to her home and garden. Marguerite was an excellent and competitive bridge player who especially enjoyed introducing others to the game.

Marguerite was a loving grandmother, regularly driving long distances to spend time with her four grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her former husband Bob Olson, and her brother Jake Smith.

She is survived by her daughter CC Kelly, her husband Frank, and their daughter Grace; her son Dr. Craig Olson, his wife Renee, and their children Danielle, Jordan and Michael; her sister-in-law Gayle Smith; and many loving relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Eastsound, Washington on Saturday, November 21 at 1:00 PM.

Memorial donations supporting the professional development of reading specialists can be directed to the Marguerite Olson Memorial Fund at the Orcas Island Community Foundation.