Sylvia Ann Lawrence Olesen, beloved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, departed this life on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 at her home in Cushing, Oklahoma from complications of psoriatic arthritis. A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Christian Churh in Cushing, Oklahoma. Dr. Larry Haney will officiate.
Arrangements are entrusted to Palmer Marler Funeral Home, Cushing, Oklahoma.
Sylvia was born on September 9, 1938 in Okemah, Oklahoma to Chillis and Mattie(Hopwood) Lawrence. She married Jens Paul Olesen on December 28, 1958. They had just celebrated their 55th Wedding Anniversary.
Sylvia graduated from Okemah High School in 1956 and received her degree at the University of Tulsa, graduating with Honors in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career in 1974 in Ripley, Oklahoma. She also taught in Stroud and Drumright, Oklahoma, before finishing her classroom career as an instructor of Cushing’s Gifted and Talented Program.
After completing her Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology from Oklahoma State University, she began her second career as a prescriptive teacher, psychometrist and teacher trainer at the Child Service Demonstration Center.
Sylvia became one of the forces behind the development of the Center which later became known as The Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center (OTAC), an agency that provided professional development for teachers and administrators as well as technical assistance and evaluation for all school districts in the state of Oklahoma. She made many presentations and authored numerous publications and nationally recognized grants that provided money for Oklahoma schools.
Sylvia worked with the Oklahoma State Legislature and the State Department of Education in Oklahoma to help develop legislation that created and refined policies and procedures for school improvement and reform. She possessed the vision and insight to initiate alternatives for students before it became fashionable. She retired as co-director of OTAC in 1999 after 30 years of service. After retirement, Sylvia continued to volunteer and write grants for various civic clubs and activities in Cushing.
Her greatest joy was to spend time with family and friends. She truly enjoyed helping those around her and will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her husband, Jens, of the home, and three children: Redonna Anderson and husband, Michael, Cushing, OK; Charles Paul Olesen, Sand Springs, Oklahoma; and Jens Lawrence Olesen, and wife, Kim, of Versailles, Missouri; grandchildren:
Matthew Michael and Stephanie (Dhimmar) Anderson, of Houston, Texas; Bryan Allen Anderson, of Cushing; Dane and Prisca Towery, of Mustang, Oklahoma; Corey and Katy Olesen, Springfield, Missouri; and Taylor Olesen; Springfield, Missouri.
She was the very proud great-grandmother of Hailey Anderson of Houston and Khylie Anderson of Cushing.
She is also survived by one brother, Gary Lawrence, Houston, Texas; and two sisters: Janice Martin, and husband Pat, of Okemah, Oklahoma; and Monica Bartling and husband, Roy, of Waurika, Oklahoma; brother-in-law, Bill Olesen, of Shawnee,
Oklahoma; as well as many loving nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, one brother, Chillis Newton Lawrence, Jr., mother-in-law, Kathryn Olesen, and one granddaughter, Ashley Olesen.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in her name to: Cimarron Valley Humane Society Building Fund, c/o Bank of Cushing, 224 E. Broadway, Cushing,
Oklahoma 74023.
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