Obituary
Barbara “Bobbie” (Saunders) Olson, 89, of The Villages, Florida passed away on August 19, 2025. She was born on January 13, 1936, in Baltimore, Maryland to Eleanor and William Saunders.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Captain Norman H. Olson, USN. She is survived by her children Chris (Jeff) Mabe, Craig Olson, Caren (Joe) Whitson, and Carole (Vincent) Brennan; her grandchildren Cody (Elizabeth) Olson, and Molly and Liam Brennan; and her two great-grandchildren, Hudson and Magnolia Olson.
Bobbie possessed a vibrant and competitive spirit from a young age, channeled through her passion for sports. She excelled in competitive badminton, tennis, and field hockey. She was also a fearless water ski jumper, a testament to her adventurous and driven nature. This competitive fire, however, was not limited to the athletic arena.
Later in life, she redirected that same drive to the classroom. After her youngest child entered preschool, she returned to college to pursue her dream of becoming a teacher. She earned her degree and became a beloved middle school teacher, using her competitive spirit not for personal victory but to champion her students’ success. Her classroom was a place of high expectations and boundless encouragement, where she taught with the same tenacity and dedication that she once applied to the sports she loved. Her compassionate nature also extended to animals; she would never turn away a baby bunny, bird, or squirrel that her kids brought home to nurse back to life.
After retiring, she found her true “Disney World for Adults” in The Villages, Florida. There, she continued her love of competition and camaraderie, enthusiastically playing pickleball, table tennis, tennis, golf, bridge, and mahjongg. She was a true friend with a bright smile and twinkling blue eyes. She was known to sometimes not have a filter, but her candor was always delivered without a hint of harm and was simply a part of her wonderfully genuine nature.
While she will be dearly missed by her family and friends, we find comfort in knowing that she is now at peace and reunited with her loved ones (and furry pets) who have passed before her.
Honoring Bobbie’s wishes, she will be cremated and laid to rest as part of an Eternal Reef. Her remains will help form a vibrant new marine habitat, creating a living legacy that supports and sustains generations of marine life. To learn more about this unique memorial, please visit https://www.eternalreefs.com/.
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