Las Vegas, NV - Kathleen Ann (Adler) Olson, 85, passed away on Feb. 7th, 2026 in Las Vegas after a dementia diagnosis two years ago.

Kathleen, also known as Kay or Kate, was born Jan. 16, 1941 in Eau Claire, Wisc. She was the second of five children of John Peter Adler, a tavern owner, and Sadie (Pritchard) Adler, a teacher. She attended St. Patrick's grade school in Eau Claire,

where she was a conscientious and bright student. She enjoyed music, including playing the piano, and was an avid reader from a young age. She went to Regis High School and worked in the grocery department at the Farmers Store as a teenager. She then attended what is now called St. Catherine University in St. Paul, where she studied education. After graduation, she began teaching at nearby Webster Elementary.

She met her future husband, James "Jim" Olson, at a bar in Eau Claire. He was four years older than her and sixteen inches taller, but she fell deeply in love and followed him to California. There, she and a friend got teaching jobs at an inner-city school in Oakland where the principal urged teachers to leave the area the minute the bell rang.

Kay and Jim married and settled in St. Louis Park, where she would teach for three decades, mostly at Susan Lindgren Elementary. She specifically loved teaching fourth graders and often shared humorous stories about them with friends and family. She was deeply proud of her work in the classroom, where her patience and dedication shaped the lives of generations of students.

She and Jim adopted a son, Erik, and the family developed deep connections to their neighborhood. Kay threw birthday and Halloween parties for Erik and other kids, planning a detailed itinerary of games and ensuring that somehow everyone would win a prize and have fun. She loved spending time with the Birthday Club, a collection of neighbors, friends and fellow teachers who got together for many decades.

She was entertaining and enthusiastic, had an outsized personality in social settings and told wonderful stories. She made a point to learn a lot about everyone and was sure to ask people questions based on her knowledge. Kay cherished her friendships with fellow teachers.

Kay was a passionate supporter of the arts, with a love for theater and music, and was always reading a recently-published book she got at the library. She had elegant taste in clothing and jewelry and kept a stylish, meticulous home. A generous and thoughtful gift giver, she always knew what people would like to receive.

She retired from teaching and spent more time with Jim; they loved to travel, visit friends in other states and often returned to Sanibel Island, Fla. They frequently visited the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska to walk and spend time outside.

She became a grandmother in her 70s, cherishing her grandchildren Sydney and Caleb, who were the light of her life. She was an avid walker throughout most of her senior years and hung on to her identity as a teacher until the very end.

Kay was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jim. She is survived by her son, Erik (Tanya), her two grandchildren, her brothers Richard (Mary) and Paul (Renee), her brother-in-law Bill (Linda), five nieces and nephews and their children. A service will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery on April 21, where she will be laid to rest alongside Jim.