Rita LaVonne Olson, originally Rita LaVonne Tucker came into the world at a difficult time. The daughter of Ailene (Gladys) Peterson and Joseph Andrew Tucker she arrived on July 13, 1932 during some of the worst days of the Great Depression. From Bismarck, North Dakota, Rita lived her early years passed along from relative to relative. Living with family in Spokane, at the time of WWII, she frequently traversed across Washington State by train remaining with either her mother in Bremerton where her mother worked in the Shipyards, or in Spokane with her father’s new family. Rita told of one trip where the train was full with American soldiers heading to Seattle and the Pacific War. She had her cat along in a box that inevitably got loose. For much of the journey she and a couple of companies of GI’s chased down that poor kitty and Rita had a glorious time.

Often alone she discovered the magic and companionship of books, and she read anything she could get her hands on. Libraries became her home and sparked her lifetime love of knowledge. Perpetually the smartest person in the room and the quietest, she attended Spokane schools, graduating from Lewis and Clark High School, part of the class of 1950.

While enrolled in nursing school Rita agreed to a blind date set up by a girlfriend. That date resulted in her meeting the love of her life, David Edward Olson whom she married on November 15, 1952 in Mineral, Montana. 

Four children followed and Rita stayed home raising the kids. However, by 1965 she began working the Christmas Rush for the US Postal Service that quickly turned to full time. She worked her way up into management finally retiring in 1996. 

Rita and Dave loved to travel in their a truck and camper, with or without the kids, then graduated to a fifth wheel in retirement. The two took off now traversing the better part of the United States, from the desert southwest, to Charleston, South Carolina, to Washington DC and many stops in between. Closer to home they took shorter vacations at the family cabin on Cocolalla Lake in northern Idaho.

In her later years, she would enjoy quiet evenings at home showing off her brilliant mind clearing the initial Jeopardy board, Double Jeopardy, and of course answered the Final Jeopardy question (most of the time). Dave would watch the show beside her and just smile.

Rita was a proud Democrat frequently supporting candidates and social causes through donations or through her votes. She was not amused by the current occupant of the White House.

Only two months shy of her 94th birthday, Rita passed away on May 3, 2026, at her home. She is predeceased by her husband, David Olson and her oldest son, Dale Olson, sisters Barbara Perry and Marilyn Hagan, and brothers Robert and Lenhard Anderson. 

Rits is survived by her daughter Gail (Chad) Chumbley, son Steve (Betsy) Olson, son David A. Olson, 6 grandchildren, and as Grandma “Grapes” she was the matriarch to more than a dozen great grandchildren.

In her memory support literacy and libraries. Books were her solace, and constant companions.

Gail Chumbley is the author of the two-part memoir “River of January,” and “River of January: Figure Eight,” co-writer of the screenplay, “Dancing On Air” based on those books. She has penned three stage plays on history topics, “Clay” on the life of Senator Henry Clay, “Wolf By The Ears” examining the beginnings of American slavery, and “Peer Review” where 47 is confronted by specters of four past presidents.