Joan P. Olson

She was born on Feb. 21, 1927, in Elmhurst, Ill., to the late John and Marie (Clemitus) Olson. Joan loved God, children, horses and nature. Her love of horses began as a young child. Growing up in the city in the 1930s many deliveries were still made by horse and cart. When Joan’s parents couldn’t find her, they knew she had hopped on with a kind merchant to take a ride behind the horses. She was a rodeo barrel rider, showed her horses, taught riding lessons and owned a horse boarding stable.

Joan loved nature and when the city got too big, she moved to the U.P. with her youngest children, making a home in Amasa. When she wasn’t working with the horses or building/repairing fences she was hiking or cross-country skiing on the back forty and beyond. Joan was famous for her pies, each birthday she would bake the pie of choice for the birthday person. Even though Joan’s home was always full of her own children, she made room for all of their friends. She would say, there is always room for one more.

She is survived by five daughters, Patricia Ashcraft, Kristin McArdle, Catherine Swanson, Joan (Frank) Zangara and Jennifer (Brad) Toivonen; four sons, Gerald Krizka, Joseph Krizka, Charles Krizka and Thomas Krizka; grandchildren Terri and John (Sue) Fassett, Cecelia (Erica) Zangara, Jessica (Stephen) Kennedy and Frank Zangara, Katie and Jim (Shannon) Krizka, Beth (Kevin) Bucek, Joan (Rob) Zyhowski, Susanna Toivonen, Will (Kristin) Toivonen, Laina Toivonen; great-grandchildren John and Charlie Fassett, Jackie (Tank) Harris, Victoria (Austin) Meise and James Ashcraft, Cole and Gracie Zangara, Vivienne, Addilyn, Emmeline Kennedy, Jayden and Camren Krizka, Theo Krizka, Madison, Caliana and Nathan Bucek, Anders and Liam Zyhowski; nine great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by daughter Margaret Krizka; sons John Krizka, and James Krizka; grandson Jim (Adelle) Ashcraft; sisters Edna and Barbara; brothers William and Leonard; and her favorite horse, Sarcee.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 9, at Jacobs-Plowe Funeral Home in Crystal Falls. Prayers will be recited at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11 a.m. Friday, May 9, at Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Crystal Falls, with the Rev. Father Daniel Dapaah officiating. Burial will be in Hematite-Amasa Cemetery.

Friends may leave condolences and tributes to Joan’s family online at www.jacobsfuneralhomes.com.

The family has chosen Jacobs-Plowe Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Crystal Falls, to honor Joan’s legacy of life.