Anna Mae Olsen

Anna Mae Olsen, 90, of Onalaska, passed away Wednesday, July 11, 2012, at the Bethany-Riverside Nursing Facility.

She was born in Madison, S. Dak., on September 27, 1921, the oldest of twelve children born to Odee and Bertha Mae (Hines) Bakke. She married Floyd J. Olsen on August 2, 1941, at St. James the Less Catholic Church in La Crosse. He preceded her in death on January 7, 2006.

Anna and her husband operated the Milwaukee Road Caf on the north side of La Crosse for several years. She then worked as the receptionist at the Barge Chiropractic Clinic in La Crosse for many years before retiring. She was a long-time member of St. Patricks Catholic Church in Onalaska.

Anna is survived by two daughters, Sandra Kirkpatrick of Madison, Wis., and Sally (Tom) Weise of Onalaska; two sons, Terry (Kay) Olsen of Stevens Point, Wis., and Thomas Olsen of Orlando, Fla.;eight grandchildren, Heather (Tim) Belter, Heidi Kirkpatrick, and Hope (Steve) Merry, all of Madison, Wis., Steve (Jelaine) Olsen of Janesville, Wis., Kathy Olsen of Seattle, Wash., Carey (Josh) Reckelberg of Becker, Minn., Christy (Steve) DeRuyter of Holmen, and Carly Weise (fianc, Joseph Bakken) of La Crosse; and eight great grandchildren, Natalie and Joseph Olsen, Caleb, Carter, and Josie Reckelberg, Jordan Merry, and Shawn and Coreyna DeRuyter. She is further survived by a sister, Nancy (Joseph) Laner of Kansas City, Kan.; four brothers, Robert (Jane) Bakke of Montevideo, Minn., John (Louise) Bakke of Kenosha, Wis., James (Delores) Bakke, living in Pennsylvania, and Thomas (Olive) Bakke of Madison, S. Dak.; one brother-in-law, Robert Berg; one sister-in-law, Lenore Bakke; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Anna was also preceded in death by sisters and brothers-law, Marie (Jack) Wulff, Betty Berg, and Myrtle (John) Thelen; one brother, Roger Bakke; twin infant siblings; and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Bernard and Louise Kast and Lawrence and Beatrice Olsen.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 13th, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Patricks Catholic Church, 1031 Main St., Onalaska. Rev. Steven Kachel will officiate. Entombment will follow in the St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum in the Catholic Cemetery, La Crosse. Visitation will be held at the church on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service.



The family would like to extend their gratitude to Annas long-time friends, James Sheffer, Betty Pehler, and Sandy Miller for all their support, and to Annas caregivers, Madonna and Jessica, and to the staff at Bethany-Riverside for their help and care. They also wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Stephen Pavela for his many years of care of both Floyd and Anna.