Elaine Olson

Margaret Elaine Olson, 75, passed away at her home in Mebane on August 22 after a long illness. She was preceded in death by her father Boyd Coy; mother Edythe Ford; stepfather Carl Ford; and brother Larry Coy. She is survived by her husband of 51 years Ralph Olson; son Mark (Sudie); daughter Kristin; four grandsons; brother Jeff Coy of Tuscon, AZ, brother John Ford of Columbus, OH; and sister Becky Perfect of Durham, NC. Her four grandsons, Eric, Carter, Grant and Kai were the delight of her heart. Elaine was born in Altoona, PA on November 21, 1940, and grew up in Marion, OH. After graduating from Wheaton College (IL) in 1962 with a major in history, she taught in high school and junior high. In 1995 she earned a Masters degree in counseling from Liberty University. As a counselor in Hanover, PA, she worked on a church staff and in a private practice, and led Divorce Care and Grief Share groups in a variety of venues. She also facilitated the Prepare/Enrich premarital assessment program and she was certified to train pastors to use, and she taught a variety of seminars that aimed to enrich and assure hope in others' lives. Her favorite Bible verse was Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Elaine and her husband were actively involved in the Hope Chapel and the Chapel Class at Hope Church in Burlington. McClure Funeral Service is handling all arrangements. A visitation will be at their Mebane facility at 1308 South Third St. on Thursday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. The funeral will be on Friday at 10:00 am in the funeral home chapel, with Rev. Todd Posey officiating, followed by burial in Oakwood Cemetery in Mebane. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Scleroderma Foundation. This is the autoimmune disease that Elaine fought for over 40 years, which resulted in her heart and lung problems. Go to http://www.scleroderma.org/ Online condolences may be made at mcclurefuneralservice.net.