Vivian E. Olsen

Vivian Elizabeth Olsen passed away peacefully at age 93 on Saturday morning, April 26, 2014 at Fountain View Village following hospital treatment in March for a urinary tract infection.

She was the last survivor of Louis and Josephine Vipond’s six children; Joseph (d. as an infant), Lois, Glenn, Evelyn, Jim and Vivian.

She was married to Harold Olsen on June 23, 1941 in Wittenberg, Wis. Harold died of cancer June 30, 1995. Harold was a mining engineer working for Bethlehem Steel. Starting in 1942 they lived in Cornwall, Pa., in 1951 moved to Marmora, Ontario, Canada, then in 1963 moved back to Cornwall.

While in Canada, they built a cottage on Belmont Lake where the family has spent summers swimming and boating since 1952. After retirement in January 1973, they explored all of the states including Alaska with their truck and camper before they discovered their dream place, Fountain Hills.

Vivian and Harold moved here in June 1976 when the community was new and quickly met other new residents and joined in activities; hiking, bike rides, Club Mirage for tennis and swim exercises.

They became members of the fledgling Presbyterian Church, which held services first in a pub and then in a small sanctuary before building the present beautiful church.

Vivian loved her family and was a great letter writer. She was a good cook, refinished antiques, made quilts and did beautiful meticulous embroidery. Her love of bird watching inspired her daughter and husband to become avid birders.

Vivian grew up in Scales Mound, Ill. and often lived with her grandmother, Lucinda Edge. Her grandmother shared letters written in the 1860s from her brother, a soldier in the Civil War. Family letters were also shared from the 1840s when the Viponds came to settle from England. Vivian and her brothers and sisters were interested in family history from an early age. Vivian collected numerous stories and photos and documents and created four large volumes of family histories: The Olsens, The Goglins, The Edges and The Viponds.

Vivian and Harold loved their home on the edge of McDowell Mountain Regional Park. Harold created a wildlife auto-filling watering hole which brought in deer, bobcat as well as javelina, coyotes, hawks, owls and all the desert birds.

Vivian is survived by her son, Robert Sydney Olsen and wife, Karen Fykse Olsen of St. Louis, Mo., her daughter, Lucy Jean Fischer and husband, William F. Fischer, of Laguna Hills, Calif. and her daughter, Elizabeth Louise Hanley of Peterborough, Ont., Canada.

Grandchildren are Kimberly Adams and husband Tom of Manchester, Mo., Katherine Douglass and husband Michael of Houston, Texas, William Fischer and wife Lisa of Ventura, Calif., Janet Schluntz and husband Jeremy of San Clemente, Calif., Julie Hanley of Bonnyville, Alberta, Michael Hanley of Peterborough, Ont., and Megan Hanely of Peterborough, Ont.

Great grandchildren are Morgan and Brooke Drew of Manchester, Mo., Sara and Matthew Douglass of Houston, Texas, Will, Erika, Brandon, Audrey Fischer of Ventura, Calif. and triplets Adri, Emma and Ryan Schluntz of San Clemente, Calif.

Services will be Friday, May 2, at 10 a.m. at Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church. No flowers please.