Sonja Mae Olsen

Sonja Mae Olsen, 54, of Carlton, Minn., died Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012, in her home with her loving family by her side. She was born Jan. 19, 1958, in Fairbanks, Alaska, to Jack and Drusilla Hansell. When she was a young girl, the family moved to Kailua, Oahu, Hawaii. She graduated from high school in Kwajalein, Marshall Islands. She moved back to Hawaii and attended the University of Hawaii, receiving her master’s degree in counseling. She worked for the University of Hawaii as a counselor.

In 1997 she moved to Minnesota where she married Brent Olsen on Aug. 10, 1997. They made their home in Cloquet before moving to Carlton. Sonja worked at the University of Wisconsin Superior for the McNair Scholars Program. She later went to work at the University of Minnesota Duluth where she worked as a career counselor and an instructor.

She enjoyed glass bead making and photography. Her great joy came from spending time with her two grandchildren.

Sonja was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Kevin Murphy; and father-in-law, Thomas Olsen.

She is survived by and will be sadly missed by her husband, Brent of Carlton; stepson, Aaron of Cloquet; two grandchildren, Kairi and Landen Peacock Olsen; brothers, Randy (Nancy) Hansell and David Hansell, both of Portland, Ore.; sister, Kristina Murphy of Newport Beach, Calif.; mother-in-law, Nancylee Olsen of Apache Junction, Ariz.; and sister-in-law, Paula Olsen of Cloquet.

Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30, in Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet. A time of refreshments and fellowship will follow in the Fireside Room of the funeral home.

To sign the guest book and offer an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.

January 3, 2013 ~ Pine Journal, Cloquet, Minn.

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