Joyce Ellyn Olsen

HAMILTON - Joyce Ellyn (Toothaker) Olsen went to be with her Lord and Savior this 8th day of December 2009. Joyce was born May 10, 1939 in Bartlesville, Oklahoma to May Ardell (Ward) Toothaker and George Eugene Toothaker.

Due to her Dad's many different jobs as a civil engineer, she grew up all over the mid-west. She graduated from Colorado Springs High School in 1957 and married Larry Olsen in Colorado Springs in 1958. They moved to Monterey, Calif. and attended Monterey Peninsula College until he joined the army in 1961. He shipped to Bamberg, Germany where Joyce joined him later. Daughter Lynett was born that Nov. in 1961 and in Feb. of 1963, daughter Diana was born, also in Germany.

Returning to Colorado in 1963, Joyce worked at the DMV in Colorado Springs. In Dec. of 1965 the family, including in-laws Mattie and Ken moved to Cooper Landing, Alaska. For 10 years her home was at the Sportsman's Lodge on the Kenai River. Joyce learned to be a short order cook, store keeper, fish processor, and everything needed for a family to run a lodge.

After the family sold the lodge in 1974 they settled on some property in Cooper Landing and built the Shrew's Nest, a hardware-gift-tackle store. She also served on many of the Cooper Landing volunteer organizations. She was on the board of directors of "Friends of Cooper Landing". She learned to play piano from the age of 4 and was the organist at the Kenai Lake Baptist Church where she was a member and served as a financial secretary.

In 1985 Joyce and Larry were divorced and Joyce continued to work with the store and take some formal art classes in the Kenai Peninsula Community College. In 1987 she was accepted into the Alaska Watercolor Society. Her works have been in many exhibitions, open shows and won several awards. Joyce sold her business in 2001 and moved to Cottage Grove, Oregon where she became active in the C.G. Art Guild. She lived there for 4 years and in 2005 moved to Hamilton, Montana.

Joyce enjoyed gardening, skiing, her painting, sewing, writing poetry and loved her family and her extended family of church and community. She was especially proud of her grandson's Matthew and Kristopher Lindsey and their personal accomplishments.

"Don't weep for me sister's and brothers- just dry your eyes and say, "I know she's home with all her loved ones, in the arms of Jesus today"

Joyce was preceded in death by her mother May, father George and sister Carol Stevens. She is survived by her daughters, Lynett Valentine and Diana Lindsey; her brother, Larry Toothaker of Norman, Oklahoma; her sister, Marty Rutan of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and her church family!

"Please do not adorn my empty shell with flowers-do something generous for someone in need", was a request she wanted to be kept. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made in Joyce's name to the Marcus Daly Hospice Center, the Samaritans Purse, the First Baptist Church in Hamilton or to the Kenai Lake Baptist Church in Cooper Landing.