Longtime area resident Carolynne Mae "Kelly" Olsen, 86, of Pullman passed away on Saturday January 11, 2014 at Bishop Place Assisted Living. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday January 15, 2014 at the Community Congregational United Church of Christ in Pullman. A reception will follow the memorial in the fellowship hall. Urn committal will take place at the Pullman Cemetery following the reception.

Kelly was born on October 26, 1927 in Hankinson, North Dakota to Gregory Sr. & Edna (Koberstein) Dahlen. She grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota where she attended the local schools and worked in her family's bakery. She graduated high school in Bismarck in 1945. After high school she attended two years of college at the University of North Dakota at Grand Forks where she studied journalism.

She met LeRoy Charles Olsen while in Grand Forks and the two married on December 26, 1946 in Bismarck. They moved to Pullman in 1954 when Lee accepted a teaching position at Washington State University. Kelly began working as a librarian at the Neill Public Library in 1964 and continued there until her retirement in 1982. During her time at the library Kelly was responsible for organizing the labor union for library employees.

Ever the volunteer, Kelly was actively involved in the local P.E.O., the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority as well as several bridge clubs.

When her husband Lee passed away in 1984 after a courageous battle with cancer, Kelly was aware of hospice care but at that time the Palouse didn't have a hospice program. She took it upon herself to bring hospice to Whitman County and, after great effort, she finally succeeded and she served as one of the first hospice volunteers. Up until her death, Kelly served on the Friends of Hospice board and that organization awards the "Kelly Olsen Volunteer of the Year" award on an annual basis.

Kelly is survived by her son Mark Olsen of Hammonton, New Jersey; daughter Lynne (Michael) Faltraco of Union Mills, North Carolina; grandson Joey (Chastity) Faltraco of Ellenboro, North Carolina and brother Dr. Gregory Dahlen, Jr. of Santa Barbara, California. She is also survived by great grandchildren Bella Faltraco and Noah Champion as well as honorary grandchildren Mark & Brian Schmedinghoft.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Lee. Kelly's family suggests memorial contributions be made in her honor to the Friends of Hospice.