Obituary: Judith Cowlishaw Olsen
Author: Gary Olsen
Gary Olsen
Judith Cowlishaw Olsen passed away on April 15th, 2024, after a brief illness.
Judy was born in Billings, MT on August 28th, 1947, to Jack and Carol Cowlishaw. When she was 12 years old, her family moved to Bozeman, where she graduated from Bozeman Rosary High School. After graduation, Judy attended Montana State University, working her way through college as a housekeeper at the Siesta Motel, a teller at Security Bank, a waitress at the legendary 4-B’s restaurant, and a clerk at Super Save Drug. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Gary Olsen. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married on November 26, 1969.
Judy and Gary had two children, Janet and Mike. After the kids were born, Judy and Gary lived in Bozeman for four years, where Judy was a stay-at-home Mom. In 1976, the family moved to the metropolis of Worden, MT. After living in the bustling city, Judy was very happy to be in a town with 33 residents (including stray cats and dogs). They lived in Worden for three years, thoroughly enjoying the fireflies, the horses, the country life, and the train whistle every 47 minutes. They also added two cats and a dog along the way.
In 1979, the family moved to Lockwood, a suburb of Billings. After a brief stay of two years, the call of the country life brought them to Townsend in the summer of 1981. This farm became their forever home, and Judy lived there for the rest of her days. She truly loved the serenity she found on the farm. There was no place that she would rather be.
Judy was always very active in community life. She worked as a 1st grade teacher’s aide and substituted for the school kitchen staff. She volunteered on the ambulance crew as an Emergency Medical Technician, and she served on the hospital board. She was Charter President of the Lioness Club in the cities of Huntley Project, Lockwood, and Townsend.
Judy loved living on the farm. She enjoyed gardening, canning veggies and fruit, searching for asparagus along the ditch bank, and pointing out weeds for Gary to dispatch. She was a great midwife to a band of 70 sheep, masterfully assisting with the birth, raising, and caring of the offspring and the mothers, while deftly avoiding the ram’s forceful attempts to run her out of the pasture. Later, she showed the same prowess with cattle, when they sold the sheep and moved into the cattle business. There wasn’t another herd of 15 cattle anywhere who were spoiled as much as those at the Olsen farm, particularly her favorite red belted, Sunshine.
Her final project on the farm was making a home for a pair of abandoned barn cats (her “Kiddens”, as she called them). Binky and Silver Belle ruled the roost, and she doted on those two precious little furballs.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Carol Cowlishaw, and her brother Jack Cowlishaw, Jr. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Gary, her daughter, Janet, her son, Mike (Tana), sisters Sharon (Bob) and Tina (Jim), sister-in-law Debbie Cowlishaw, sister-in-law Cathy (Scott), 7 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, and two adopted “kiddens”, Binky and Silver Belle.
There will be a celebration of life in late August (specifics to be determined). In lieu of flowers, the family requests all donations to be made to the Deep Creek Cemetery Association (PO Box 12, Townsend, MT, 59644) or any charity of your choice.
Please visit https://www.stevensonwilke.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Judy.
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Image 1 Caption: Judith Cowlishaw Olsen
Contributed by Olsen Family
