Violet Olsen, 93, of Ottawa, Illinois passed away Monday, January 18, 2016 at OSF St. Elizabeth Medical Center.
Graveside services will be Saturday, January 23, 2016 at 1:15 p.m. in the chapel at Oakwood Memorial Park.
Violet was born October 1, 1922 in Bendigo, Australia, to Henry and Mabel (White) Middling. She married Lawrence Cokley on August 14, 1943, while he was serving in the United States Marine Corp in the South Pacific; he died November 11, 1961. She then married Glen Rodewald in 1964; he died March 10, 1971. Violet then married Carl “Swede” Olsen on June 17, 1972; he died July 6, 1999.
Violet was a homemaker. She was president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary several times.
She is survived by two daughters, Annette Cokley and Sandra Hiles; one son, Robert (Linda) Cokley; one step-son, Randy Olsen; fourteen grandchildren, Bernie, Natalie, Larry, Melissa, Debbie, Brian, Sommer, Lance, Andrew, Amber, Jamie, Jason, PJ, and Jennifer; eighteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands, one daughter, Janice Cokley; one grandchild, Kevin Budnik; and fourteen siblings.
Memorials may be directed to the donor’s choice.
Violet is laid to rest in the Garden of Hymns.