Beloved sister and mother, Mary Jane Olinger, passed peacefully on July 31, 2020 at the age of 92.  Mary was born to Samuel and Irma Blough on October 21, 1927 in Sunnyside, Washington.

Mary had a happy childhood and had a passion for playing the piano which lasted a lifetime.  She married Stanley Olinger in 1950.

I remember her working at the old URM in Spokane.  She worked at the Western Farmers for many years when the family moved to Lynden, Washington in the late 60's. Her passion was working with numbers.  She moved with her husband and son to Priest River, Idaho, in 1977 where she made their home seven miles off the county road back on a forest service road.  They lived there for 37 years without power or water.  It was tough, mostly in the winter, but she was happy, and she made many best friends who are still like family to this day. It was during this time that she went to work at Hills. In 2004, after the death of her husband, she moved to Priest River and in a very short time she was able to buy a home and do well for herself (boy was she proud of all she accomplished on her own).

Mom loved the Lord and always set special time aside for Him every week.  When she could not attend church, she had a special program she listened to on tv and spent time studying her Bible.

Mom was a very active person, she loved to socialize.  She was never too tired to go shopping and heaven forbid, don't ever miss a garage sale!

Mom loved gardening and also tended to her beautiful flowers that she would proudly show off on her front porch.  She also loved to grow vegetables in her small garden area as recently as this summer.  We chuckle over the fact that strawberries and tomatoes would get brought in, placed on the kitchen counter, and when they got "tired" Linda would toss them out.  She was so happy to grow them, but not many got eaten.

Mom was an accomplished seamstress.  She could make any article of clothing, jeans, jackets, wool shirts for dad, little lined coats for the grandkids (I remember especially one for Shelly when she was about a year old).  She was also highly skilled with knitting needles and crochet hooks.  She had a real talent. She always enjoyed selling her items in the craft shows.

Mom was a dedicated mom and grandmother.  She treasured her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and her great great grandchildren.  She was always saying how very thankful she was to have lived to see them born and grow and have them know and love her as she did them.  The time spent with them was so precious to her.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Samuel Blough and Irma (Kallum) Blough, her husband, Stanley A. Olinger, and her two sons, Jeffrey A. Olinger and Joel A. Olinger.

Mary is survived by her sister, Karen Squires, of Priest River.  She is the much-loved mother of Brian Olinger (Jean), Diane Gorsuch (Ron), Chuck and Linda Vangrimbergen, her extended daughters, Mary Boudreau, Elaine Muzzuco, Janette Hedden, and Trudy Olinger, and her treasured lifetime friends whom she always considered family.  She was so thankful for her grandkids, nieces, and nephews and loved them dearly.

Graveside services will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Priest River on August 15, 2020, at 10:30 a.m.  All family and friends are welcome to come.

Sherman-Campbell Funeral & Cremation Services in Priest River is in charge of arrangements.  Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at shermancampbell.com.