Nora Marie (Hansen) Olsen, 81, died peacefully at her home on April 29, 2002, at 4:10 a.m.

She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Seattle, and was an active member of Seattle’s Danish community for 60 years.

She was born June 9, 1920, in Plentywood, Mont., to Niels and Karen Hansen.

Mrs. Olsen grew up in Viborg, S.D., attended Grandview College in Iowa, lived in California for a time and in 1942 moved to Seattle, where she made her home until her death.

She worked as executive secretary at the architectural firm TRA in Seattle and retired after 37 years.

Mrs. Olsen is survived by a sister, Irma Kost; stepchildren Victor Olsen and wife Viviane of Vandalia, Ohio, Valerie Hubbard of Seattle, Vern Olsen and wife Martha of Greenbank; a daughter, Merrilee Gavigan and husband George of Seattle; a son, Karl Olsen and wife Deborah Lund of Greenbank; grandchildren Laura Davis, Sonja Thomas, Michelle Manning, Jim Olsen, Marc Olsen, Adora Olsen, Jesse Olsen and Kaj Lund Olsen; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, George Carl Olsen, in 1973, a brother, Aksel Hansen, and a grandson, Nels Olsen.

Services will be held at St. John Lutheran Church in Seattle at 11 a.m. May 4. Remembrances are suggested to St. John Lutheran Church or the Northwest Danish Foundation.