The world lost a little bit of its bedazzle when our beautiful, larger than life, mom Mary Elizabeth Olsen; aka Betty, aka Spoons, entered her eternal life on November 29, 2022, at the age of 75.
She was born in San Mateo, California on February 1, 1947 to Kenneth Settle and Mildred Dudley. After 54 years living in beautiful Sonoma County California, she and her husband relocated to The Villages, Florida where she loved playing golf and socializing with all her wonderful neighbors. Spoons gained her nickname from, you guessed it, playing the spoons and she never missed the opportunity to join in with any band she came across, even being invited by Billy Idol to join him on stage for a few songs.
Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Spoons quickly realized a few things about her; She never met a stranger… ever. To the dismay of her three daughters, she’d strike up a conversation with anyone and everyone that got within 15 feet of her. She was full of color, literally. From the ever-changing colorful designs in her hair done by her loving husband of 45 years, to her head-to-toe color coordinating outfits, to her love of anything that “blinged,” she brought a pop of color and a bit of sparkle everywhere she went.
Spoons loved her country, supported her military and police, and couldn’t resist a good political conversation. But above all else, anyone who knew Spoons saw that the legacy she left behind was the love that she gave. She had an incredible capacity to love and ensured that everyone around her felt her love and support.
She is survived by her husband Jeffrey Olsen and her three daughters, Danita Avellar, Ivy Donovan, and Timra Campbell, and her seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and predeceased by one grandson and one granddaughter. Her celebration of life will be held on a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of her favorite charities, The Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
