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Audrey Eileen Olson
1941 - 2026
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- Audrey Eileen Olson
May 22, 1941 - February 25, 2026
Audrey Eileen Olson, 84, of Santa Maria, California passed away peacefully
surrounded by her family and beloved dog, “Gabby” on February 25, 2026 in
Orcutt, California.
Audrey was born on May 22, 1941 in Klemme, Iowa to Reuben and Edith Lemke
and raised on their family farm. After high school she worked at the
hospital in the pediatrics unit. Her favorite part of the job was visiting
and coloring with the children she noticed didn’t receive many visitors.
She met the love of her life Merlyn K. Olson at the skating rink in
Klemme, Iowa and soon married in December of 1959. They moved with the
rest of the Lemke family from Klemme to the Long Beach area in California
where they started a family of their own. In 1970 Audrey, Merlyn, and
their three daughters Doni, Denette, and DeAnne moved to Santa Maria,
California.
Audrey started working as a kitchen helper in 1976 and worked her way up
to cook. She worked until June of 2025 with hopes of returning to work
with the children and coworkers she absolutely loved. At the time of her
passing she was still employed at 84 years of age and was the longest
working employee of Orcutt Union School District for nearly 50 years. She
touched the lives of so many with her kindness, holiday treats, and cards
for all of those she held so dear. She treated them like her extended
family.
Her greatest joy came from her family. She loved sharing all of life’s
everyday moments and precious holidays with all of us and we felt her love
in everything she did. Our lives have been truly blessed with the best
wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend God has ever
placed on this Earth. We will always remember her showing up with open
arms, a loving heart, kind words, and unconditional love. We will forever
hold her love in our hearts and even though forever would not have been
long enough, we will cherish the time God let us have her here with us.
Audrey has been reunited in heaven with her loving husband Merlyn K.
Olson, parents, Rueben and Edith Lemke, and four siblings Gordon Lemke,
Beverly (Lemke) Morrison, Herschel Lemke, and Kathleen (Lemke) Dodson.
What a celebration they must have had.
Her legacy lives on with her three daughters Doni (Olson) Schaefer,
Denette Olson, and DeAnne (Olson) Luis and husband Mike Luis, her
grandchildren William Schaefer, Sarah Schaefer, Evan Schaefer, Lane Luis,
Levi Luis, and Aubrey Luis, Great grand children Leila Schaefer, Violet
Schaefer, and Lucchese Luis.
A celebration of her beautiful life will be held on June 27th, 2026 at
2020 Highway 135, Los Alamos, California at 2:00. Email luisranch5@gmail.com
for more information and directions. If you are unable to attend and would
like to share a memory about Audrey please feel free to email it to us, we
would love to know how Audrey touched your life.
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source: © Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, Crematory & Memory Gardens, 1003
E. Stowell Rd. P.O. Box 248, Santa Maria, CA 93456; Phone: 805-922-8463
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