Obituary of Ellen B. Olson

Ellen B. Olson, 86, formerly of The High Rise, 303 West Fifth St Jamestown, passed away peacefully Saturday November 26, 2011 surrounded by her loving family in the Heritage Village Rehab and Skilled Nursing Facility. She was born February 27, 1925 in Forestville, NY the daughter of the late Henry and Hazel Bennett Bernett. Ellen was a graduate of Forestville High School and worked at Fenton Park and King Manor Nursing Homes, and the Village Inn in Celoron. She was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Lakewood. For many years, she was a child care provider, and foster mother to several young people. She was always willing to help troubled kids, her door was always open, no questions asked. Ellen enjoyed flower gardening, birds, and baking, especially cookies. She was known as "Grandma Cookie" or "Papa Grandma". She was an avid bowler, enjoying Wii bowling in later years. When someone got sick, they called Ellen for one of her home remedies that always seemed to work. Surviving are six children, Meredith (Gary) Holcomb of Warren, PA; William (Pam) Cordosi of Lakewood; Jody Swanson, Todd Cordosi, Sharon (William) Arthurs, all of Jamestown; Dawn (Harold) Whitford of Frewsburg; 19 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; and three sisters, Edith Hills, Dorothy Smith, both of AZ; and Iva McLenathan of Silver Creek. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, the love of her life, Richard Olson who died October 17, 2005; a daughter, Vickie Cordosi on February 12, 1999; a grandson, Kurt Cordosi on May 30, 1992; a great granddaughter, Mia Hope Cordosi on June 2, 2010; two sisters, Jean Mosier; Myrtle Vitale; and two brothers, Raymond and Leonard Bernett. The funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Lind Funeral Home. The Rev. Timothy J. Hoyer, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church will officiate. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Ashville. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Chautauqua County Humane Society, 2825 Strunk Road Jamestown, NY 14701; or Shriners Hospitals for Crippled Children, 1645 West 8th Street, Erie, PA 16505-5097.