Elsie Swan Olkonen was born on the Swan family farm in the Deer Lake area of Clinton on Oct. 30, 1917. She was the youngest of the five children of Evert and Anna Swan. She attended Deer Lake School, skipped two grades, and later graduated from Langley High School in 1934 at the head of the class. The superintendent denied her honors of valedictorian, giving it to another girl, stating, “Elsie was too young and small, (she was 5 feet and 72 pounds) and someone bigger and older would appreciate it more.” Twenty-five years later, the student assembly at the 25th reunion acknowledged her achievement.

Elsie worked on the farm during the depression years and got a job with Whidbey Telephone Company in 1939 for three-and-a-half years. She married Al Olkonen in June of 1942 after meeting him in Langley in 1941, before the war. He was inducted into the Army Air Force, and they moved to La Junta, Colo. Al served 39 months and was to be transferred, so Elsie moved back to the Island with their son Gary and daughter Selma Ann.

Elsie again worked at Whidbey Telephone in 1952, until her son Evert was born in 1954. She later became a correspondent for the Whidbey Record under editor, Ace Comstock, who taught her to be a reporter. She then became a staff correspondent for the Everett Herald, and a real estate agent for 22 years until retiring.

Elsie was well known on Whidbey Island and was often featured in the paper for one of her many activities. She fought for causes, for people and the community. She was recently seen cutting the cake for the Clinton Progressive Association’s Centennial; her big smile was always present.

Elsie was the long-time Island County Democratic Chairman; organized and was president of the Whidbey Island Democratic Women’s Club; State Political Action Chairman of the State Federation of Democratic Women; 10th District State Committee person and vice president; named to Who’s Who of Women in American Politics and Who’s Who in American Politics, being nominated by U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson.

Elsie reactivated the Clinton Businessman’s Club, which became the Chamber of Commerce of which she was chairman. She worked to get the new post office in Clinton, facilitated the establishment of the Island Savings and Loan in Clinton as well as the Whidbey Island Bank. She worked tirelessly to get the Clinton Library, of which she became a trustee, represented the Clinton Progressive Association Club’s interests in Dan Porter Park and the county agreement, Past Matron of the Eastern Star, American Legion Auxiliary, South Whidbey Historical Society, Holmes Harbor Rod and Gun Club, Chevron Retiree’s Association, and vice-president of the Clinton Cemetery Association.

Elsie was a Lutheran and took great pride that her father helped rebuild and build Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Clinton, where she used to be very active. Few people know that Elsie got it in writing from two governors that Whidbey Island would get a college beginning in the 1960’s.

She leaves behind her oldest son, Gary Olkonen; her daughter, Selma Ann Delgado; youngest son, Evert Olkonen; grandchildren, Ausencio Delgado, Quenby Delgado, Cyril Delgado, Una Delgado, Angela Delgado, Peter Herbst and Pablo Guzman; great grandchildren, Laina Delgado, Deirdre Delgado and Hawkeye Delgado; niece, Mary Ellen Latham; nephew, Ron Latham; and great-nephew Philip Latham. Also, her special kids Jim Izett, Craig LeRoy and Dennis Smith, who she always referred to as her “other sons,” and also their wives Yvonne, Tracy and Stephanie. Also Janet Parton, who is new to the family.

Her parents, Evert Anders Swan and Anna Nymann Swan, preceded her in death as well as sisters, Ellen Satcher (Douglas) and Inez Flynn (Horace); brothers, Ivar Swan and Edwin Swan; and her husband, Albert M. Olkonen. Also preceding her in death were her daughter-in-law Judie Olkonen and son in-law Simon R. Delgado.

A funeral service was held Oct. 29 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freeland; burial followed at the family plot in Clinton, at the Clinton Cemetery. Friends and famliy may view the online obituary and sign a guestbook at www.visserfuneralhome.com.