Dorothy Olson, 82, formerly of Norman, Oklahoma passed away March 9, 2010 in Houston, Texas. Dorothy was born July 5, 1927 at Anoka, Nebraska to Frank M. and Mabel (Johnson) Ellis.

Dorothy grew up on a farm near Anoka, Nebraska. Graduating from Butte High School in Butte, Nebraska in 1945, Dorothy received a teaching certificate and taught in a one room country school in Boyd County, Nebraska for 1945-46. The next year, she attended Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa, Oklahoma where she met Norvell (Swede) Olson, son of Foster and Moree (Black) Olson. Norvell and Dorothy married May 9, 1948 in the Methodist Church in Arkansas City, Kansas and he preceded her in death December 15, 2000.

Dorothy taught business courses and was Yearbook advisor at Follett High School in Follett, Texas 1960-65. The family moved to Garber, Oklahoma where Dorothy commuted to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma to finish her B.S. Vocational Home Economics degree in 1966.

Moving to Norman, Oklahoma, Dorothy commuted to Moore, Oklahoma to teach Vocational Home Economics at Moore High School. While working, she attended the University of Oklahoma in Norman completing a Master of Home Economics in 1971.

During 1972-74, she was Home Economics Chair and SHEA advisor at Northern Oklahoma College where she taught all areas of Home Economics and organized adult education classes.

Moving back to Norman, Dorothy became a Registered Dietician in 1976 while working as a graduate assistant and then part time professor in Food and Nutrition in the Home Economics department at University of Oklahoma.

She continued to work on her Ph.D. at the University of Oklahoma, completed an internship in Administration of Adult Education at Oklahoma College of Continuing Education, and taught part time at Oscar Rose College in Midwest City, Oklahoma and at the University of Oklahoma. Completing her Ph.D. in 1979, her attendance in college classes spanned over 33 years and totaled 275 semester credit hours.

Dorothy worked as an assistant manager of patient services in the dietary department of Baptist Medical Center. Her last career move was working as a dietician at the Norman Municipal Hospital where she developed nutritional plans and provided education to patients and nursing students.

Dorothy was a member and participated in professional organizations during her career: Oklahoma Education Association, American Home Economics Association, American Vocational Association, Association of Classroom Teachers, Moore Education Association, The American Dietetic Association, Oklahoma Dietetic Association, Nutrition Today Society, Oklahoma City Dietetic Association, Oklahoma Consultant Dietitians in Health Care Facilities, Omicron Nu, Kappa Kappa Iota, and the Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma.

During her retirement years, she researched ancestors and was a member of the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the local chapter, Major Belle Reynolds, Tent #21, in Norman. She helped her daughter and granddaughter join the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society Children of the American Revolution, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, and First Families of the Twin Territories.

Dorothy was patient with everyone she met and had a passion for education, genealogy, and vanilla ice cream. She will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Swede, two brothers, Lloyd and Harold Ellis, and parents, Frank and Mabel Ellis. Dorothy is survived by her son, Foster Olson, daughter, Sandra Nemeth and husband, Kenneth Nemeth, and granddaughter, Samantha Nemeth, all of Houston, Texas. Also surviving is her sister, June McCullough of Henderson, Nevada.

There was a private burial at Tonkawa I.O.O.F. Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Tonkawa Funeral Home, Tonkawa, Oklahoma.

Memorials may be made to the Tonkawa Education Foundation in care of the Tonkawa Funeral Home, 400 E. Grand Ave. Tonkawa, OK 74653.

Condolences may be sent to the family using our online guest book at www.tonkawafh.com.