June 21, 1949 - August 15, 2023
Joyce Olson, nee Colgan, left us on August 15, 2023, age 74, after a long illness. She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Ron, her sons Eric (Aubrey) and David (Sarah) and grandsons Graeme and Rhys. She is also survived by her sister, Brenda (Bill) Cooper, close family friends Basia, Marty and Peter Daniell and her beloved cat, Sassy.
Joy grew up in Greensburg, PA, and later moved to Casper, WY and Arvada, CO, before moving to Broomfield, CO.
Joy was born on June 21, 1949, the first daughter of Thelma and Earl Colgan, at Mount Pleasant hospital in Pennsylvania, the same hospital her future husband had been born in 14 months earlier. Her parents named her Joyce because they were rejoicing at her birth. Joy was joined by sister Brenda in 1951, beginning a life-long example of how relationships between sisters should be. Joy showed an early interest in animals , music, love of family and love of God. She attended school through the Greensburg-Salem school district graduating in 1968. She then obtained a Licensed Practical Nurse degree. She had a desire to become a medical missionary.
After visiting Joy’s aunt and uncle in Casper, WY in 1974, Ron and Joy decided to move to Casper in 1975. Joy and Ron loved the west and enjoyed all the outdoor activities it had to offer. Yellowstone was their favorite.
Joy decided to pursue a Registered Nursing degree, which she obtained from Casper College in 1984. After a job transfer, the family settled in Arvada, CO, in 1988. Joy joined Kaiser Permenente and spent the next 20 years working in various areas, including her two favorites, same-day surgery and gastroenterology.
Joy had a habit of adopting young people far from home and family such as Eric’s friends from New Zealand, South Africa and England who were attending CU Boulder, and Basia (a Kaiser doctor who’s family was back east). An invite for Sunday dinner, holiday gathering or church service was provided to try to give these young people a taste of home. Family was always paramount. They loved and cherished their family and were overjoyed with the arrival of their grandchildren, Graeme and Rhys.
Joy and Ron were blessed to have all these years together and to experience so many wonderful times. Trips to Alaska, the Mediterranean, Hawaii and of course the Western US brought them much happiness. Joy had an opportunity to put her desire to serve as a medical missionary into action when their church made a 1 week trip to Honduras in 2014. On the back of Joy and Ron’s front door hangs a small wooden cross with an inscription of Joshua 24:15, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joy lived by that passage. Her service to God included her role as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, neighbor, and friend. The disease that ended Joy’s life impacted her vision, speech, and mobility. She is now in Heaven with her Lord singing, running, and rejoicing. We believe God welcomed Joy into heaven saying, “well done, good and faithful servant.”
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Joy’s memory to Davis Phinney Foundation.
A visitation will be held Saturday, August 19, 2023 between 5-7pm. There will be a viewing with open casket on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 12pm with a service to follow at 2pm.
