Barbara "Laurie" Olson, age 78, of Shell Knob, Missouri, passed away on Saturday, May 4, 2019, at Roaring River Health and Rehab in Cassville, Missouri. Mrs. Olson, daughter of Vernon and Helen (McEachran) Rice, was born on May 7, 1940, in Spokane, Washington. She was a 1958 Evanston High School graduate; subsequently she received her RN license and worked thirty-one years at Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois. On February 1, 1964, she was united in marriage to Glenn Olson in Evanston, Illinois. She and her husband Glenn moved to Shell Knob in 2002 to make their home.

Mrs. Olson was a member of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Shell Knob where she was very active in many church activities including the Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW). She was also a Girl Scouts leader when her girls were younger and made a lasting impression on young girl's lives. Mrs. Olson loved spending time with her grandchildren and her dogs were very important to her.

Survivors include her husband of fifty-five years, Glenn Olson, of Shell Knob; their three children, Kristin Olson-Celli and her husband Dominic, of McKinney, Texas, Patricia Benhart and her husband Eugene, Jr., of Lakeville, Minnesota, and Eric Olson, of Lombard, Illinois; six grandchildren; and one brother, James Rice and his wife Joan, of Huntley, Illinois.

Mass will be held 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Holy Family Catholic Church in Shell Knob.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions may be made to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association and entrusted to the White Funeral Home and Crematory, P.O. Box 890, Cassville, MO 65625.

Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the White Funeral Home and Crematory, Cassville, Missouri.