Mary J. Olssen

CAPE ELIZABETH-Mary Joan Olssen, 92, RN, Major, U.S. Army retired, died Wednesday, November 19, 2014, at Sedgewood Commons in Falmouth. She was born in South Portland on November 4, 1922, a daughter of John and Alice Welch Olssen. Mary attended South Portland schools and was a 1940 graduate of South Portland High School. She was a graduate of Maine General Hospital School of Nursing. Mary joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1945 and began her 22 year career in the Army. She served as both a registered nurse and a nurse anesthetist. She served in Germany and with a MASH unit in Korea. She earned many awards and citations before retiring in 1967 with the rank of Major. After returning to Maine she worked at Mercy Hospital, National Medical Care, and Goodwill Industries of Maine. Her last position was with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine. She loved dogs and raised miniature poodles and later standard poodles. She was a member of Vacation Land Dog Club and also volunteered working with therapy dogs in local nursing homes. Mary was predeceased by her parents and a brother, Joseph Olssen. She is survived by close friends, Robert and Gladys Stokinger of Portland. Visitation will be held 10:00 11:00 am, Monday, at Conroy-Tully Crawford South Portland Chapel, 1024 Broadway, South Portland. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am, at the Chapel, followed by burial with military honors, at Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. Online condolences may be expressed at: www.ctcrawford.com. Memorial donations may be made to: Animal Refuge League, P.O. Box 336, Westbrook, Maine 04098.